SHANE Long and Dusan Tadic could be next on Saints’ contract hit list as the club continues to lock in prized assets on long term deals.

Saints have indicated their desire to pursue more contract extensions after Ryan Bertrand followed four other St Mary’s stars this week in signing a bumper new deal, which will keep the England international on the south coast until 2021.

Key attacking duo Long and Tadic may well be next up to join fellow top talent Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster, Steven Davis and James Ward-Prowse in committing to Saints for the long run.

Both of the St Mary’s stars are out of contract in 2018, putting them well within the bracket of players that Saints would consider entering negotiations with over improved terms and a longer contract.

It would continue the club’s trend of directing funds into tying down their current crop of players and recruiting diligently in the transfer window, while avoiding joining the ever-inflating transfer market scrap that some clubs are drawn into.

Long was one of Saints’ outstanding players last term, netting 13 times in all competitions and becoming virtually undroppable, with his tenacity and lung-bursting style seeing him emerge as St Mary’s first choice striker after initially being stuck out on the wing or on the substitutes bench after his £12 million move from Hull City.

Rumours had circulated that after such a brilliant season, the 29-year-old would be targeted by the Premier League’s big spenders. But Saints may well quash any further speculation by offering the Republic of Ireland international a deal that would likely see him see out the his remaining peak years at St Mary’s.

Attacking midfielder Tadic experienced a similar campaign to his debut term in 2014/15, where in long spells he was virtually unplayable but then went quiet in other matches.

The Serbian did finish the season with 12 assists and seven goals in the league and will likely be keen on extending his stay at Saints, especially with the departure of Ronald Koeman to Everton.

There had been reports last season that Tadic and Koeman experienced a strained relationship, with the 27-year-old not ruling out a move away while the Dutchman was in charge. But with a new regime now in place under Claude Puel, the former FC Twente man, who signed for £10.9 million in July 2014, could well be keen on spending the prime seasons of his career at Saints.

Tadic yesterday admitted that he had been impressed by Puel’s methods during Saints’ week-long training camp in Baltimore, revealing that the Frenchman had “really good ideas” and adding that the former Nice boss was trying show the squad his vision.

Both players will be able look at their teammates, like Bertrand, Van Dijk, Ward-Prowse, Davis and Forster, and recognise that the club aren’t simply haemorrhaging top talent, like is often perceived.