Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe says he is delighted to have won the race for French under 18 captain Morgan Schneiderlin from RC Strasbourg.

The 18-year-old rejected an approach from Portsmouth in favour of guaranteed first team football at St Mary's Stadium.

And Lowe believes the midfielder, who has signed a three-year contract, will prove an excellent acquisition for the club.

"I am absolutely thrilled we have managed to get him. There was a lot of strong competition and I am delighted we have won the race for such a talented player.

"He was persuaded to come here because of the structure we have in place and the fact he knows he will get a chance to play here.

"He is a defensive midfielder who can also play a more attacking role. He is a top quality player who is capable of scoring goals out of nothing and he will be a very good acquisition who will fit right in with what we are aiming to achieve."