The Belgium international completed a season-long switch to St Mary's from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid on transfer deadline day.

The deal to bring him to England includes the option for a permanent move to be made next summer, with a fee already agreed.

However, the agreement also allows Atletico to bring the 25-year-old back to Spain if they decide against trading him in.

Alderweireld admits that it is difficult to speculate on what 2015 will bring, with delivering the goods for Southampton in the Premier League all he can concern himself with for now.

He said while away on European qualifying duty: "There is provision that Atletico can take back if it wants to.

"For me, next year the construction is complicated. I understand. We sit down together after this season with all the parties and see what is the best solution."

Alderweireld is confident that he will get ample opportunity to prove his worth in English football, with it possible that he will be handed his Southampton debut in a home date with Newcastle United on Saturday.

The versatile defender said: "I will get the chance to show, but if I have two weeks in a row when I do not perform well, I will move to the bench.

"The football requires more from you physically than in Spain.

"The Premier League is also changing. I have four years in a row in the Champions League and have played in the World Cup, I know what excellence means."

Alderweireld added: "I hope to accrue games weekly in a top competition like the Premier League.

"Not that I have bad memories of my first year at Atletico, I became more mature and could play in the Champions League, but in the centre of defence, the team was already there from the year before, so it was difficult for me to get into it. Atletico understood that I wanted a year away."