Ronald Koeman: Southampton will be stronger next season - if top players stay
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman accepts the club's ability to keep their key players will dictate whether they can push on next season.
Saints have struggled to keep hold of their big names in recent years, with the likes of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne (all Liverpool) and Morgan Schneiderlin (Manchester United) leaving over the past two summers.
Koeman's side have already equalled their best Premier League points total, and a win on Sunday at home to Crystal Palace could see them better their previous highest Premier League finish of seventh.
It may also be good enough to secure Europa League football next term, and Koeman is hoping his star players will stick around.
He said: "I don't know (if we will be stronger). It depends whether we can keep everyone for next season.
"(If they stay) then yes, I still believe in developing the team and the individual players, and the players learn from his first Premier League season like Virgil (van Dijk) and (Jordy) Clasie, because that makes the team even stronger.
"Maybe we can sign a very good player and every season we like to have a better team.
"We will not have many changes, but we know the situation. We know we are Southampton, (we would) like to keep everybody in. But still, for a Southampton player, if a big team in the Champions League comes, it is always interesting for the player.
"That is normal and I can understand that.
"I can mention to the club that nobody can leave, but also I don't make the last call in this club - that is the board. Finally it is the board's decision on the players.
"The number of players coming in depends on other circumstances."
Goalkeeper Fraser Forster and midfielder James Ward-Prowse signed new contracts this week, tying them to the south-coast club until 2021 and 2022 respectively.
That came a week after Dutch defender Van Dijk agreed a new deal, and the Saints boss was delighted to see the trio commit.
"(I am) very pleased," Koeman said.
"First of all with the contract of Virgil van Dijk, which happened last week, and now Fraser Forster and Prowsey. Great news and great work from the club.
"We like to keep the players in and keep developing as a club and a team and then you need the good boys to stay and that is what we like and very good for the club."
Sadio Mane missed Saints' 2-1 win over Tottenham due to illness but has recovered and could be included in the squad but Clasie remains sidelined with a groin problem.
Meanwhile, victory for Palace could secure a 12th-placed finish just six days before the Wembley cup final against Manchester United.
By his own admission the final is Alan Pardew's priority so he is to rest Wilfried Zaha and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey - Julian Speroni is expected to deputise and equal the club's record appearances for a goalkeeper - but because of a fractured fibula Joe Ledley will miss out and is considered by his manager to have only a "50-50" chance of appearing for Wales at Euro 2016.
"We're all so desperate for Joe Ledley, he's obviously going to miss the game and the final, and he's got a battle to make the Euros, so that's been a blow," Pardew said.
"Everybody else looks okay, there's still one or two we need to protect in this fixture, but we're hoping we get a good run to the cup final.
"(Ledley's) very much 50-50, it's as tight as that. I'm sure (Wales manager) Chris (Coleman) will be desperate for him.
"We're trying everything we can, we've got oxygen chambers and all sorts to try and help the recovery.
"He was very disappointed when he heard the news but he's a strong character, and now he's just determined to make the Euros, so he's got a good mindset."
Source: PAR
