Saints striker Tadanari Lee has returned to Japan on loan for the remainder of the season.
Lee has yet to make single Premier League appearance for the club and the return from the African Cup of Nations of Emmanuel Mayuka means chances will be strictly limited with Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez also competing for the striking berth.
As a result Mauricio Pochettino has allowed him to join former club FC Tokyo until June.
The 27-year-old joined Saints in 2012 and has made 12 appearances since.
Nine of those came last season, with only three cup appearances in this campaign.
Lee scored two goals in that time, one against Derby last season and one against Stevenage in the Capital One Cup.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article