Four-time European Cup winners Bayern Munich are coming to St Mary's later this month for a hastily-arranged friendly.

The German giants will play Saints on Monday, January 26, two days after Gordon Strachan's men would have played in the FA Cup fourth round had they got past Newcastle.

Bayern are the reigning German champions and currently lie second in the Bundesliga, four points behind SV Werder Bremen.

They have won the title in four of the past five seasons and are also four times winners of the European Cup, lifting the trophy most recently in 2001.

The arrival of Ottmar Hitzfeld's side on the south coast will undoubtedly pit Saints against some of the world's finest players.

That will include a clash of two European golden boot winners - last year's winner Roy Makaay and Saints' own Kevin Phillips, who scooped the award in 2000.

Ticket details have yet to be announced.