Beleaguered Southampton gaffer Ralph Hasenhuttl has been in the hot seat since December 2018 and the question marks are continuing to circle over his future with the Saints.
According to The Telegraph, Hasenhuttl has been under pressure for some time time and the Austrian’s future at Southampton is drawing to a close with the hierarchy now contemplating the timing of his sacking as Sport Republic, who completed a takeover in January, are preparing to make a change.
The understanding is that former PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino is plotting a comeback to the Premier League and is open to the possibility of managing a side outside of the Champions League. The 50-year-old Argentine was axed by Parisian giants Paris Saint-Germain in the summer and snubbed the opportunity to return to Ligue 1 after declining an approach made by Nice last month.
Pochettino was also approached by Aston Villa most recently, besides also being linked with the Chelsea job before the offer was finally given to Graham Potter instead.
According to Dean Jones, it is unlikely that Pochettino will be making a return back to the English Premier League via Southampton as the journalist feels the Saints meet neither the ambitions nor profile the Argentinian is looking for, meaning the South Coast club will have to direct their attention elsewhere after Hasenhuttl is shown the exit.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I don’t think there’s much chance of it happening. It’s not something I can see him turning to when he does come back to the Premier League.
“Just thinking about what I’ve been told before on Pochettino, he wants to find a stable club, but one that has fresh possibilities and an open mind. With Saints, I just feel like there’s probably too much baggage there.”
Since his appointment as Nigel Adkins’ successor in January 2013, Pochettino enjoyed a rewarding period at the helm in Southampton after the former Espanyol chief led the Saints to 23 victories from 60 matches, giving him a points-per-game ratio of 1.45.
The Argentine’s exploits led to him finally quitting St Mary’s 18 months after his unveiling as he took over at Tottenham Hotspur.
Pochettino has frankly admitted ‘I love Southampton’ and that he ‘cried a lot’ after exiting the club.