James Bree: Southampton sign Luton defender on three-and-a-half-year deal
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Bree started his career at Barnsley before joining Aston Villa in 2017
Southampton have signed defender James Bree from Luton Town on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
The 25-year-old left Aston Villa for Luton in 2019, where he played under current Saints boss Nathan Jones.
He is Southampton's third signing of the January window, after the arrivals of Mislav Orsic and Carlos Alcaraz.
"I'm absolutely delighted," said Bree. "A Premier League opportunity and obviously get to work with my old gaffer, I didn't have to think twice.
"It's something I've dreamed of since I was a little kid, making my Premier League debut, and obviously for a team as big as Southampton."
Bree made 143 appearances for Luton, helping them to the Championship play-offs last season and playing every minute for them this term.
Jones said: "James is obviously someone who I know well from our time together at Luton, and he has the qualities both on the pitch and also in terms of his character to help us here.
"His versatility gives us another good option in a number of areas."
Southampton are bottom of the Premier League with 15 points - level with Everton but with a worse goal difference - but one win would lift them out of the relegation zone.
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