STEVE WIGLEY has answered frustrated fans who believe a creative midfielder should have been the summer transfer priority.

Saints have brought in defenders Jelle van Damme, Alaeddine Yahia and Andreas Jakobsson, industrious Swedish midfielder Mikael Nilsson and striker Peter Crouch.

But the transfer window slammed shut last night with Saints unable to address the lack of a consistent goal-threat from midfield.

Last season, the top midfielder goalscorer was Frenchman Leandre Griffit with just two strikes.

Wigley was only appointed head coach last week and has had limited time to personally address the problem, but he admits it is one of his priorities.

"At some stage, we have got to look to have a midfield player who scores goals - we can't get away from that," he said.

"It's something the club hasn't really managed to address in the past 12 months and probably going back further than that.

"But those players are at a premium.

"If you looked around the Premier League for goalscoring midfielders, they tend to play for the top teams.

"It is something that is very much at the forefront of my mind."

The signing of Swedish international Jakobsson was completed yesterday, with Wigley very keen to provide extra back-up for what has been an uncharacteristically shaky defence in recent months following the injury to Michael Svensson.

"We have got good players and Andreas compliments what we have got," said Wigley.

"We have conceded a few goals. We had clean sheets at the start of the last season, but at the moment it seems we need two or three to win a game.

"You want competition in key areas and it is a key area.

"With Michael injured we were treading a fine line if anyone else got injured, so we've had to make sure we have taken care of that.

"I've thought all along that we needed to bring in a central defender to compliment what we have got.

"I'll sleep well and know we have got this group of players."

Wigley was also delighted not to lose any of his top players as the transfer deadline passed, particularly James Beattie who has interested a string of clubs including Newcastle, Aston Villa, Charlton, Tottenham and Everton.

"It is a great relief for me and the supporters," said the Saints boss.

"Anyone who was sat in this chair felt we might lose one of our better players."