Ronald Koeman believes European football is the next logical step for Saints but insists his players need to maintain their ambition every single day to achieve it.

High flying Saints welcome Leicester to St Mary’s this afternoon, and go into the game in second place in the Premier League after a brilliant start to the campaign.

The club finished eighth last season and so Koeman knows Europe is the next frontier, but the experienced manager is also realistic enough to know the challenges that lie ahead if Saints are to secure qualification.

He said: “Of course we like to continue in a good direction as the club did in the last three or four years.

“The next step is playing in Europe and we know that.

“It’s a dream for the club, it’s a dream for the fans and we have to do it.

“We can reach that. I have confidence we can reach that.

“We have to keep our ambition and spirit in the team and it’s the most important that we have to bring that on a daily basis.”

The most immediate hurdle to overcome is that posed by Leicester.

Though former Saints boss Nigel Pearson’s side are on a shaky run of form they still pose a threat, and in the shape of Esteban Cambiasso, the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan midfielder, they have a player of significant quality.

“I don’t think about one player in the opponent for this weekend, it’s always a team organisation that in my opinion is the most important to see how they play, what system they play, their qualities in a defensive way,” assessed Koeman.

“Cambiasso is an experienced player for them and it’s important to have those kind of players in the team.

“We respect our opponents for this Saturday but we play at home and have to dominate and have to create but in my opinion the most important is we try to play our football and in our football way and if we do that and bring in our qualities we have the chance to do that.”