CEDRIC Soares admits he owes much to countryman Jose Fonte for helping him settle in at Saints and is loving his Premier League challenge.

The Portugal international joined Saints in June from Sporting CP for a fee of £3.5 million and has appeared eight times for Ronald Koeman’s side so far this season.

Fonte has helped him settle on and off the field.

“Jose is really important,” explained Soares. “He was really important in my choice (of club).

“He helped me a lot before I came here.

“We had a big conversation and since I came here he’s always there for me.

“Not just on the pitch, but outside as well.

“So it’s the perfect match.

“I like to play with him, I know him, and it’s really much easier for me with him here.”

He added: “I’m actually really enjoying Southampton.

“Playing for Southampton is always a big pleasure because of the environment – the fans, I really like it.

“I’ve settled in very good and I’m playing, I’m trying to do my best.”

Soares,who signed a four-year deal at St Mary’s in June, has found the Premier League thoroughly absorbing.

“I’m actually really enjoying the Premier League and I will try to play every game because every game is like amazing stadiums, amazing fans.

“I will work for that.”

The 24-year-old, who was actually born in Germany before moving back home with his Portuguese parents , played more than 90 games and won the Portuguese Cup with the Lisbon giants, where he joined the academy at eight-years-old in 1999.

Although well established in Portugal, having made six international appearances and winning 72 youth caps, he accepts that playing at the top level in England is a very different prospect to the Portuguese Primeira Liga.

“There’s lots of intensity, every game is like a final, we need to go with everything in the game,” he said.

“You need all your strength, if not you’re going to lose and that’s exciting about the Premier League.

“For me it is the best league in the world, that’s why I came here and to get better as well.”

Many players come to the English top-flight and struggle to adapt to the physicality.

But Soares isn’t overly concerned about that and has his own take on how to approach the style of play as he continues to settle in at St Mary’s.

“That’s very relative,” he said. “It’s not sometimes about physical.

“It’s about being smart and intelligent and use your body and use it the way you should.

“I’m actually not thinking about the physical stuff because, of course, I think it’s important, you need to be clever and strong, but use it the right way.”

On his playing style, Soares said: “I like to attack, of course.

“But my first mission is always defending.

“One of my strengths is coming upfield and help my colleagues to score as well. My first mission though is to defend and that’s my job.

He continued: “Football nowadays is the full-backs going up and make the difference and help with the attack as well.

“But still you never forget you’re defending and you need to be there to do that as well, so the coach like often to the full-back as the new mentality and I think I fit into that.

“I try and do my best and be a good option.”