RUSSELL Martin has said that signing a replacement of Nathan Tella is on Saints’ list of priorities as the transfer deadline approaches. 

The 24 year old departed St Mary’s last week in a £20million move to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Sam Amo-Ameyaw, 17, started on Saturday in Tella's absence before loanee Ryan Fraser came on in the second half.

Martin has previously insisted that his former Scotland teammate Fraser hasn't been signed from Newcastle to replace the outgoing Tella and that a replacement would be worked on in the coming days.

Martin expects that Saints could sign upwards of three or four players before the transfer window closes on Friday, but recruiting someone to fill Tella’s void is a priority.

“I think there will probably be quite a bit going on between now and Friday,” he said ahead of his side’s away fixture against Sunderland this weekend.

“I don’t know exactly what is going to go on because some of it will depend on people leaving.

“Some of it will be trying to replace people who have already left. We will have to wait and see, I’m open to anything really.

“There is time pressure now to get things done and I’m sure that we will. Replacing Nathan (Tella) is definitely high on the priority list.

“We have a few options there currently and we will have to wait and see which one lands.

“I couldn’t tell you what is going to happen between now and then, I guess that’s why people find it exciting. 

“Before all of that, we have a game to focus on. The window should have been shut weeks ago, but it’s not. It’s going to be shut on Friday, thankfully.

“We will honestly have to wait and see. We could end up signing three or four, we could end up doing one. It really depends on who comes and who goes.”