ADAM Armstrong is looking to make an immediate impact in a Saints shirt and has declared himself “fit and ready”, insisting: “I won’t shy away, I’ll be entertaining fans.”

The 24-year-old striker has revealed how he has had a full pre-season campaign to get into shape despite interest from parties elsewhere – interest that eventually materialised in a £15m transfer to Saints.

After six seasons out of the Premier League, he could now have an instant opportunity to atone for lost time with a debut against Everton at Goodison Park, if selected by manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

With the departure of Danny Ings, Saints fans will be desperate to see what the new man can bring them and it sounds like he isn’t short of confidence that he can deliver.

After 28 goals in the Championship last season, when asked if his goalscoring prowess can continue he told the club website: “I’d like to hope so, that’s the plan.

“Like I’ve said before I’m a confident lad, so I won’t shy away on the pitch, I’ll be taking shots and entertaining fans, hopefully scoring a few goals for them.

“I’m fit and ready, I’ve played a few games, I know there was speculation but I didn’t want to miss the games, so I played a few friendlies, got some minutes under my belt.

“I had a bit of a laugh with my dad saying I want to get back to the Premier League whether it was with Blackburn or somewhere else, something I’ve really looked forward to as a challenge.

“I’ve had the right people around me to get us where I am today, the end goal was the Premier League and I’m so thankful it has come about.”

Armstrong played fifteen games as a youngster in the top division, after graduating from Newcastle’s youth academy, but failed to hit the net.

But loan spells got him firing in the lower leagues and he has worked his way back to whence he came, only being outscored by Brentford’s Ivan Toney in the Championship last season.

Over half a decade later from his Toon exploits, the Armstrong now in Saints’ squad is one of confidence – despite his still relative youth and further potential to develop.

Asked about how he turned into a goalscoring machine, he responded: “I’m not sure, I think it’s just confidence as a striker, you know you’re going to get chances.

“I’ve always been a confident lad on and off the pitch, in my abilities, I know what I can do. It all just kind of came together in the lasty few seasons, I was playing down the middle a bit more in last couple seasons.

“I had to bide my time to get that shirt down the middle, as soon as I went down there I started scoring goals. I’m thankful that I’ve scored quite a few.

On his initial Premier League breakthrough, he added: “It was at 17 when Alan Pardew was manager, played 15 times in the Premier League and then went on loan to Coventry, that kickstarted my career.

“Playing every week against men when I was a boy, that stood me in good stead for where I am today.

“I played 40 odd games by 17/18 years old.”