Southampton executive director Les Reed has confirmed that the club have opened talks with Victor Wanyama over a new five-year contract.
The 24-year-old midfielder had been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window, but Saints boss Ronald Koeman insisted that he was not for sale.
Reed has said that the club are now hopeful of securing the Kenyan international on a long-term basis.
"We've already tried to start negotiations on that. We've offered him the opportunity for a long-term extension," he told Sky Sports News.
"We'd like to tie him down for another five years. Whether that's possible or not, I don't know but the opportunity is there to do that. He was a little bit unsettled and I think that has to happen probably at most clubs with different players. The speculation does raise a few eyebrows.
"Maybe it got a little bit too hyped up and maybe Victor thought there was a bit more truth in the rumours than there was. Now it's over, he's gone home to Kenya and I think he'll enjoy some time with his family and come back and be settled and raring to go in our team."
It has been reported that Spurs never made a bid for Wanyama.
Steven Toplis
