George Burley believes his Spanish star Inigo Idiakez is finally getting back to his old self.

The midfielder has found his time at Saints blighted by injury and absence from the first team since joining the club from Derby just over a year ago for £275,000.

He featured in just 15 games in his first season at Saints, during which time he struggled with a persistent thigh problem.

He even spent a loan spell at QPR before coming back into the reckoning at the end of the campaign and ultimately missing a penalty in the play-off semi-final shootout against his former club.

But he is fully back in favour now and was a shock replacement for local hero Andrew Surman in last weekend's thrilling 3-2 win against lofty West Brom at St Mary's.

Burley knows Idiakez well, having first brought him over to England when he was in charge of the Rams.

And is optimistic that the 33-year-old CAN recapture his best form again when many had written him off altogether.

He said: "There is no doubt Inigo has been very unfortunate.

"He's never really been fully fit after tearing the same thigh muscle three times last season and at the start of this pre-season at Eastleigh he hurt his hamstring and then it's not quite been right.

"He saw a specialist who gave him some injections in his back last month because they thought there was some inflammation from there.

"Since then, he's started to look like the old Inigo.

"He's been very sharp, lively, had a lot of confidence about himself and has been desperate to get back into the team."

Full story: See today's Daily Echo.