Southampton signs Scotland midfielder Armstrong from Celtic

Mark Hughes has completed his first signing as Southampton manager by poaching talented midfielder Stuart Armstrong from Scottish champion Celtic.

Armstrong, 26, moves in a deal that was previously reported to be worth around an initial £7 million. The Scotland international has signed a four-year deal on the south coast.

The former Dundee United man told the Saints' website: "Southampton seems a really good fit for me. Watching from afar, I really enjoy the attractive football that they play and I'm very happy to be here.

"Every season, I put demands on myself to create and score goals. I hope going forwards from here that it will be the same this term at St Mary's."

It can be difficult to judge a player's abilities when he moves from Scotland to the English Premier League due to the comparative lack of competition north of the border.

However, in Armstrong's case, Southampton fans may be justified in their high hopes. He racked up 27 goals in 142 games over three-and-a-half years at the Bhoys, featured numerous times in both the Europa and the Champions League, and was named to the PFA Scottish Team of the Year twice during his time in Glasgow.