THE countdown to the closure of the summer transfer window begins today.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe and manager Gordon Strachan are now back from holiday and the club have admitted they hope to bring in a few fresh faces before the closure of the transfer window at the end of August.

With Saints returning for pre-season training next week, and with trips to Scotland and Sweden looming later in July, the next fortnight would be an ideal time to make additions - particularly as there will be an influx of free-agents from today with contracts typically running between July 1 and June 30.

Saints have already brought in Norwich defender Darren Kenton, but would still like to further strengthen what has become a stable core of first-team players.

Speculation has linked Saints with a whole range of players, with the latest including AC Milan's Jon-Dahl Tomasson, Hearts midfielder Scott Severin and Arsenal midfielder Edu.

Saints do currently have one of the smallest squads in the Premiership and they have released Kevin Davies and Federico Arias since the end of the season.

There are also some lingering injury concerns from last season, such as Marian Pahars, Agustin Delgado and Antti Niemi.

Number two goalkeeper Paul Jones has also indicated he might leave the club to be sure of first-team football.

Financially Saints are one of the most stable clubs in the Premiership and they have just enjoyed a particularly lucrative season.

But Lowe has said: "We will not bring in players for the sake of it or to satisfy the media. We will only sign them if they will improve us.

"Clubs who adopt a gung-ho attitude to transfers often end up in a pile of smoking rubble. Two things are important when strengthening. First we must hold on to those players who have bought success and also bring in those who can add to the success."