MANAGER Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed defender Jannik Vestergaard was set to exit Saints to join Leicester and added: “It is for us to replace him.”

The Daily Echo understands a £15million fee has been agreed between the clubs for the Denmark international, who is set to make the switch subject to a medical.

It brings to an end a three-year stay on the south coast for the centre-back, who arrived at St Mary’s in July 2018 from Borussia Monchengladbach for a reported fee of £18million.

Vestergaard played 79 times for the south coast side in all competitions, scoring four goals.

Asked for the latest on the Dane’s proposed move, Hasenhuttl said: “Yeah I think, with the medicals and the medical checks, the deal is done.

“He will go to Leicester and it is for us to replace him and this is what we will do in the future.”

Vestergaard had just one more season left on his deal at St Mary’s – a similar situation which led to Danny Ings’s departure to Aston Villa for £30million earlier this month.

Hasenhuttl added: “We lost a few very important players for our club, what was an absolute must because two of them only had a year left on his contract and - for the club - it’s the only way you can go (to sell).

“The rules in the transfer market are like this. When you are coming in the last two years of a contract with a player, then the power moves to the player.

“Do not let them go without a transfer fee – that is a disaster for every club.

“We had to do those deals and finally we are happy that we made these deals and we could replace them with new players and make the squad bigger, with players with a future here in this club, with potential to develop.”

Saints have brought in the likes of Adam Armstrong, Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu as fresh faces on permanent deals this summer.

They also signed Chelsea striker Armando Broja on a season-long loan.

“I am happy about the job we have done in the transfer market so far,” said the Austrian boss.

“There is still one position to do because we lost Jannik now and we know in the centre-back position we are not super strong with the numbers.

“But the rest of the squad seems to be quite balanced, good in every position and prepared for a long, long run with a lot of games.”

Saints make the trip to Everton in the Premier League for their season opener on Saturday.