O’Leary has been eager to strengthen his forward line, with Phillips a proven scorer, netting 13 goals last season as the Saints suffered relegation to the Championship.

Phillips was a target for O'Leary during the last transfer window, and the Irishman is set to finally get his man, with the player signing a two-year contract.

The former England international will become O’Leary’s fourth new signing this summer, following winger Patrik Berger, defender Aaron Hughes and goalkeeper Stuart Taylor.

Phillips was bought by Southampton two years ago, but failed to find the form which had made him such a hit at previous club Sunderland.

It was while with the Black Cats, when he scored 132 goals in 236 appearances, that Phillips came to prominence with England, winning the first of his eight caps in April 1999 in a 1-1 draw against Hungary.

But he last pulled on an England shirt in February 2002, failing to score in any of his England appearances. That did not deter the Saints from prising Phillips away from Sunderland following the Black Cats' relegation from the top flight in 2003.

Phillips went on to score 27 goals in 73 appearances during his time at St Mary’s, and becomes the first of the high-profile names at Southampton to leave the club since dropping out of the top flight.