Southampton land Bayern midfielder Hojbjerg

Matt Stead

Southampton have swiftly added to their squad following Graziano Pelle’s departure to China, with the south-coast club announcing the signing of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Bayern Munich.

The Denmark international has joined the Saints on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Southampton announced the signing of the 20-year-old on Monday evening, a few hours on from their confirmation that Italy striker Pelle had moved to Chinese outfit Shandong Luneng.

Hojbjerg was handed his first-team debut for Bayern in April 2013 aged 17, becoming the youngest player ever to make an appearance for the club in the Bundesliga.

He spent last season on loan at Schalke, had a spell with Augsburg in the campaign before that and has 17 international caps to his name.

Hojbjerg said in a statement about his arrival on Southampton’s official website: “I’m very pleased. It’s a big opportunity for me.

“I look forward to giving what I have and what I can to the club. They have put trust in me and I want to show them that they are not wrong.”

The statement also said Hojbjerg is a player Southampton have been “watching carefully for many years”, and the club’s executive director of football Les Reed added: “Pierre is an exciting young talent.

“At the age of just 20, he is already an established international player with Denmark and has gained significant and valuable experience while at Bayern Munich and in the Bundesliga.

“Pierre boasts an impressive pedigree, as well as a great deal of potential, and it is testament to our reputation that he has chosen Southampton ahead of other suitors as the next step in his career.”