Gordon Strachan has admitted: "We can't afford the players that could make us better!"

And the Saints manager believes the club have got "a problem" which could hold further progression back.

As the transfer window enters its final week, Strachan believes there is no point signing players who would not automatically improve the starting line-up.

But Strachan admits the ones that COULD improve it are financially out of reach for Saints.

He said: "As I said to the chairman, we've got a problem as to where we go. There are good players but they're outside our bracket - financially and with the transfer fee.

"If you bring in ones that are not so good, you're going to cramp the way for the young ones coming through.

"And if they do come through then you've wasted millions of pounds on people when there were people already here who were as good as them.

"We've got to decide that as a club, and for me, to only bring in top, top players.

"I don't want to cramp the style of the young players coming through, because I do think we've got some good players."

Big names such as Leeds striker Alan Smith and Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt - both England internationals - are available at around the £5m mark.

But Saints have never splashed out that much on one player, and their wages would also be a major stumbling block to Saints.

Strachan insists a few of his promising youngsters could figure in tonight's friendly against Bayern Munich at St Mary's (8pm).

Agustin Delgado will start in attack as Kevin Phillips could be rested after missing training towards the end of last week with a groin problem.

In addition, James Beattie only returned to the club today after being given a week's 'rest' by Strachan.

And Marian Pahars is another doubt after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury after scoring in last Monday's reserve win at Chelsea.

But central defender Claus Lundekvam, who has missed the last two matches through a hamstring injury, could return.

If he doesn't, and is also ruled out of this weekend's trip to face Manchester United, that would leave Strachan with a central defensive headache.

With Michael Svensson already suspended for the Old Trafford match, Saints could have to face Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha with rookie Fitz Hall and Danny Higginbotham, who has been deputising for Graeme Le Saux at left-back for the last two months, paired together as centre halves.

Saints, meanwhile, already have European experience after facing Steaua Bucharest in the UEFA Cup this season and Strachan added: "We quickly learned from the first game and the second game wasn't a problem.

"We could have gone through because that was one of our better performances of the year.

"We learnt how to deal with these kind of teams.

"Bayern will be a bit different because in their system they've got exceptional players, really exceptional."

FRANCIS BENALI - MY SUPERB SAINTS CAREER: 4-page special in today's Sport On Monday supplement.