Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has claimed that his side have been handed a "good draw" in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

The Saints will begin their European campaign against Dutch club Vitesse, which is where Koeman started his managerial career.

"I made a joke before the draw and said that maybe we'd go back to Holland after going for a week of pre-season," he told the club's official website.

"Now we can say that we go to Holland, which is a good preparation as we get a good view of the Dutch league and the Dutch level and of course we'll get a little bit of understanding and preparation about the way of playing in Holland. I think that's a good preparation for the start of the Europa League.

"It's a good draw. I didn't have any preference but I think a Dutch team is a good one because it's close for travelling."

The first leg of Southampton's clash with Vitesse will be played on July 30, with the return fixture on August 6.