Latics' Hall fits bill for Saints

Southampton appear to have won the race to sign Oldham’s highly-rated defender Fitz Hall.

The Saints’ offer of £250,000 (€361,000) has been accepted by the cash-strapped Latics board despite being lower than another bid from Everton.

The 22-year-old Londoner is expected to finalise the move on Monday after confirming he wanted to move back down south.

“We have lost another player and that is a big blow considering the fee he has gone for,” boss Iain Dowie told the BBC Sport website.

Dowie is angry that he was kept in the dark over the sale of one of his players for the second time following the recent departure of Chris Armstrong to Sheffield United.

“I wasn’t aware of the deal and I already had a higher offer from another club, but the clubs are in agreement and Fitz was sold on what he saw.”