Southampton have suffered relegation to the Championship and are in search of a new manager after sacking Ivan Juric.
Southampton caretaker boss Simon Rusk has been keeping the seat warm for the new manager, which has seen the likes of Liam Rosenior, Danny Rohl and Will Still linked.
The South Coasters are hopeful of an instant return to the Premier League, with the hope of doing it via the automatics.
Last season, Saints had to rely on the play-offs to get them out of the second tier, so a top-two finish is the sole aim this time around.
And, with that said, they’re now in talks with a former Everton player to become their new manager.
Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
Southampton in talks to appoint former Everton star Tom Cleverley
Former Everton midfielder Tom Cleverley was brutally sacked by Watford earlier this month in a decision that didn’t go down well with supporters.
Cleverley was operating on a shoestring budget but managed to guide the Hornets to a comfortable mid-table finish and was showing clear signs that he was building for a play-off campaign next term.
That said, Watford’s loss could be Southampton’s gain, as they’re in talks to appoint him as their new manager, according to the Guardian.
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It’s understood that Cleverley has impressed the Saints board in talks and has a strong chance of landing the job.
They rate him as one of the best young coaches in the country and may opt for his Championship experience over the other leading candidate Still, who recently left French outfit Lens.
Cleverley learnt from the best
Cleverley is a disciple of Sir Alex Ferguson and is currently carrying the torch in that regard ahead of the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney.
The former Toffees star also worked under Roberto Martinez, who would’ve had a big influence on his managerial career.
Martinez’s attacking set-up will surely have played a part in Cleverley’s philosophy, as he likes his teams to dominate the ball and get on the front foot.
It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on at St Mary’s, if indeed they decide to appoint him ahead of their possible promotion campaign.