Cedric Soares says he is intent on helping Southampton enjoy a successful season, with the right-back wanting the club to have their “name in the Premier League”.

Southampton are about to embark on their sixth successive Premier League season and there is a sense of the unknown this time round, having replaced manager Claude Puel with Mauricio Pellegrino this summer.

The former Alaves and Valencia boss will be hoping for a good start when the Saints open their league account against Swansea City, who are 3.00 to be relegated, at St Mary’s on August 12.

Paul Clement’s men managed to avoid the drop last term and they are 4.50 to pick up all three points on the first weekend. The draw is priced at 3.75 while the hosts are firm 1.73 favourites.

Cedric, who has been linked with an exit this summer, is set to play another crucial first-team role in this campaign, having made 54 Premier League appearances since arriving from Sporting in 2015.

The Portugal international is confident Southampton can improve on their eighth-place finish from last season as the club look to move on to the next level.

“Southampton is a great team and during the last years it has proved it, so we need to keep doing it and proving it every year, that we are growing and that we want to have our name in the Premier League as well,” Soares said.

“I think all the players have the same mentality here. We want to achieve more and these are the targets in our mind. For sure we will do a good season.” Southampton are 6.00 to record a top-six finish.