Southampton: Mauricio Pochettino confirms Victor Wanyama interest

Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed the club's interest in Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama.

The 22-year-old Kenya international has spent two years at Parkhead since arriving from Beerschot in July 2011.

"We are very interested in Wanyama and we will see how it progresses," Pochettino told BBC Radio Solent.

"He isn't the only player we are looking at though and we are expecting to hopefully advance in negotiations with other players."

Saints have already recruited arrival of 23-year-old Croatia international defender Dejan Lovren from Lyon - and Pochettino believes a signing of that calibre shows how ambitious the club is.

"We're very clear about our goals, Lovren was one of those and we signed him in the way we wanted and when we wanted to sign him," the Argentine said.

"A lot of players want to come to Southampton, we are a well respected club and we have a clear path as to where we want to go.

"But I want to make a point that we are Southampton and we decide when we want to sign players, we set the times when they go through.

"There have been a lot of rumours with players coming to us which shows we are professional and ambitious."

Southampton have also been linked with other high-profile names recently, including Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao, Roma forward Pablo Osvaldo and Valencia midfielder Ever Banega, and Pochettino indicated reports were not without substance.

"The good thing is that all of those players are really good footballers," added the 41-year-old, who was appointed following the sacking of previous boss Nigel Adkins in January.

"I think 100% of them would be happy to come here, but perhaps we don't have a place for all of them."