Southampton have signed AS Roma and Italy striker Pablo Osvaldo on a £12.8million deal with the fee rising to £14.5million with add-ons. The prolific striker will be unveiled at St Mary’s tomorrow after signing a four year contract. The Saints have announced that the player should be ready to play against Sunderland this Saturday.

Twenty seven-year-old Pablo Osvaldo is the latest addition to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad this summer. The Italian breaks the club’s transfer record.

At Roma, Osvaldo scored 27 goals in 55 league appearances. The Argentina-born striker has been a journeyman footballer, playing for a string of clubs that include Bologna, Espanyol, Fiorentina, Lecce and others. At the national level, he has nine caps for Italy in which he has scored three goals.

After last week’s incredible story regarding Rickie Lambert who was called up to play for his country for the first time, scored with his first touch and became a father to his latest child, Saints fans thought the week couldn’t get any better. In addition to that, Lambert scored a crucial late penalty to give Southampton a 1-0 win away against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

In comparison to last season, the Saints lost 3-0 and 2-0 against West Brom last season and have since signed Dejan Lovren, Victor Wanyama and now Pablo Osvaldo for a combined worth of around £36 million.

Nicola Cortese has shown serious intent since taking over control of the club when Markus Liebherr passed away in 2010. The Italian has spent enormous amounts of money on top signings and has sealed deals with promising youngsters at the club who have risen through the youth system such as Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and James Ward-Prowse.

Southampton finished fourteenth last season and the supporters seemed content after a roller-coaster season, but they can expect better things to come in the near future as the club are showing ambition which could lead Saints into the top half of the Premier League.

The surprising sacking of Nigel Adkins seems a distant memory to all involved at the club, with the previous £7million record-signing of Jay Rodriquez now feeling like a decade ago. Earlier in the year, Pochettino revealed, “In the next two years I want to be back in the Champions League with Southampton and I believe it’s not unreal.” this signal of intent shown may well become reality as Saints fans are enjoying one of the best periods at the club.