Southampton Still want Tottenham Hotspurs' Andros Townsend but Rule out Signing Toby Alderweireld

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman still wants to take Andros Townsend to St Mary's but admits Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to sell the England international.

Koeman declared his side wanted to make more signings before the transfer window closes on Monday but conceded the likelihood of luring Townsend was low.

Speaking ahead of Saints' Premier League clash against West Ham on Saturday, Koeman said: "It's difficult because it's [Townsend] one of the players on our list but it's very difficult and I don't expect good news about that. You can't say completely because it's football."

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said this week he had no intention of selling Townsend despite omitting him from the 18-man squad for the 4-0 defeat of QPR on Sunday.

Townsend however did start in Spurs' Europa League qualifier against AEL Limassol at White Hart Lane on Thursday, a game he also scored in.

The 23-year-old told ITV Sport afterwards: "It was a good win and hopefully we can make our mark and go far this year.

"This was my first 90 minutes in a few months, hopefully it will not be long before I am back where I was last year."

Koeman also distanced himself from Atletico Madrid defender Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian was on Arsenal's radar before they signed Saints' Calum Chambers but Southampton are unlikely to pursue a deal for the 25-year-old after their Dutch manager said "it's not realistic".

Two players who the south coast club want to keep are Gaston Ramirez and Jack Cork. Uruguayan Ramirez has been linked with a loan move to La Liga side Sevilla, while Crystal Palace have been monitoring Cork.

But Koeman reiterated his intention to keep both at the club, partly because his squad was already thin on numbers.

"He [Ramirez] is a very good player because I know him, I see him, in the training sessions but he had a big problem. He missed two times in a week in the first six or seven weeks of the season and then you are always back with your physical way and your football way and you need time for that," Koeman added.

"There are a lot of rumours about Jack as well and he is still a player of Southampton and he will stay."