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Football: Ambitious Saints seal Osvaldo Coup

Southampton have smashed their transfer record by snapping up the prolific Roma striker Pablo Osvaldo.
The 27-year-old Italy international has signed a four-year contract with the Saints, who hope to pair Osvaldo with Rickie Lambert, who scored on his England debut in the 3-2 friendly victory against Scotland earlier this month.

Osvaldo has spent the last two seasons with Roma and enjoyed a productive time in front of goal for the side from the Italian capital, finding the net 15 times in Serie A for the club last season. He has unsurprisingly, therefore, shot up the premier league betting for top scorer in the league this season.

Before joining Roma, the Argentina-born Italy international striker played for Huracan, Atalanta, Lecce, Fiorentina, Bologna and Espanyol.
The transfer fee for Osvaldo is believed to be in the region of £15.3million, which is a record for the St Mary's-based side. Punters who bet on football now believe the Saints can challenge the upper echelons of the Premier League after a productive summer.

Asked why he accepted Saints’ offer, Osvaldo, who played under Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino for 18 months at Espanyol, said: “It’s the club that showed the most interest in me. Second of all, it’s because I know Mauricio and I know how he works.
Meanwhile, Lambert has thanked Southampton for their support following his breakthrough into the international set-up.
The 31-year-old, who played for the likes of Macclesfield Town, Stockport County, Rochdale and Bristol Rovers before joining Southampton four years ago, scored a late winner in the 1-0 victory at West Brom, and said: "I always thought my best chance of playing for England was with Southampton.

"I played in 38 games in the Premier League. I don't think there are too may England-qualified strikers who get that opportunity.
"But I'd never have thought about leaving Southampton to enhance my England prospects."
Lambert has scored 94 goals in 171 league appearances for the club, including 15 goals last term.