SAINTS' second summer signing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has jetted out to the United States to link-up with his new team-mates at their week-long Baltimore training camp.

The £12m deal for the Bayern Munich midfielder was completed too late for him to be on the flight with the rest of new manager Claude Puel’s 24-man squad involved in the pre-season trip.

However, Saints have arranged for the 20-year-old to be flown out on his own, allowing him to start the important process of settling into the club ahead his first season in the Premier League.

The box-to-box midfielder sealed his switch to St Mary’s on Monday evening, and the club wasted little time in laying plans for him to join up with Puel’s men.

Hojbjerg met-up with Maya Yoshida, who has been excluded from the Baltimore trip due visa issues, at Staplewood before heading out to the States.

So far, the Danish international has spent his summer at home in Copenhagen and in Greece on holiday - but now the real work begins for the high-rated youngster.

Puel and Saints’ backroom team will be putting all the players through several gruelling high-intensity sessions to begin building a base of fitness for the new season, which starts a month today at home to Watford.

Fortunately, Hojbjerg joins at a key time when Puel will not only be able to analyse his new signing further, but also allowing the former Schalke loanee to learn what will be expected of him next term.

Plus, he has the hugely tough challenge of competing with established midfielders and those, like Jordy Clasie, who are a season ahead of him in terms of Premier League experience.

The camp finishes with a behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday, where Puel will have a first look at his team in match action.

Hojbjerg has stated his desire to impress at Saints and will keen to get off on the right foot with his new boss.

Despite being relatively young at 20-years-old, the central midfielder is well versed in the stresses and strains of settling in at a new club and country – something which will undoubtedly benefit him in the long run.

After all, he made his Bayern Munich debut as a 17-year-old after leaving his homeland and has also been sent out on loan to Augsburg and Schalke during his time at the Bundesliga giants.

Clasie, one of the players that Hojbjerg will be competing with for playing time at Saints, struggled with elements of life on the South Coast last season following his summer switch from Feyenoord – his first away from his native Holland.

Saints stars that have been involved in the Euro 2016 won’t rejoin Puel’s men until their second excursion to Holland a week Friday.