Soccer-Southampton sign Dutch winger Elia on loan from Bremen

LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Southampton have agreed to sign Werder Bremen's Netherlands winger Eljero Elia on loan until the end of the season, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

"The winger will officially join Saints on Saturday 3rd January, initially on loan until the end of the season with a view to a permanent transfer next summer," the club said on their website (www.saintsfc.co.uk).

The 27-year-old Elia will provide cover for England forward Jay Rodriguez, who has been sidelined by cruciate knee ligament surgery, and Senegal winger Sadio Mane who is heading to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

Elia, who was a member of the Netherlands World Cup squad in Brazil this year, began his career with ADO Den Haag before moving to FC Twente. He then joined Hamburg SV and had a brief spell at Juventus before signing for Bremen in 2012.

(Writing by Ken Ferris; editing by Greg Stutchbury)