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Southampton sign Japan's Sugawara from AZ Alkmaar

Southampton have signed Japan defender Yukinari Sugawara from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar.

The 24-year-old has joined for an undisclosed fee reported, external to be in the region of £6m and signed a four-year contract at St Mary's.

Sugawara is Saints boss Russell Martin's seventh signing of the summer and the club's fifth defensive addition.

Martin said he had monitored Sugawara "for a long time" and the player was his "number-one target" at right-back.

"He arrives at a good age with a lot of games already under his belt at a high level, including a wealth of European experience," Martin said.