Russell Martin is poised to become Southampton’s new head coach on a three-year deal.
The former Scotland international is expected to seal the move on Wednesday afternoon, the PA news agency understands.
He will join from Swansea as the Saints move quickly to prepare for life in the Championship.
Martin verbally agreed to take over at St Mary’s over the weekend but the clubs remained in discussions over compensation.
Martin guided Swansea to 10th in the Championship last season despite having a bottom-four budget and the youngest squad in the division.
He has been praised for his style and Southampton will be hoping the 37-year-old can guide them back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
They will finish bottom of the Premier League after a disastrous season which has seen them use three managers.
Nathan Jones replaced Ralph Hasenhuttl in November but lasted just 14 games, winning one, and was sacked in February. Ruben Selles took charge for the final months of the campaign but was unable to keep Saints up.
On Monday, chief executive Martin Semmens stepped down from his role following relegation having been in the post since 2019.
The Saints have also confirmed Selles will leave the end of the season after talks.
A statement read: “Southampton Football Club can confirm that it has held conversations with Men’s First Team Manager, Ruben Selles, and decided that his contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the season.
“The club wants to place on record its thanks to Ruben for taking on the managerial position at a difficult time for the club and for giving his all as we attempted to stay in the Premier League.
“Ruben will take charge of the team for the final game against Liverpool on Sunday at St Mary’s. We wish him all the best for his future career.”
Kirby hopes 'job done' after leaving Chelsea in 'better place'
Chelsea and Lionesses star Fran Kirby will say goodbye to Chelsea at the end of the season.
The forward has enjoyed a nine-year spell at the club, scoring 115 goals in 209 appearances.
Kirby will leave Chelsea as their all-time leading goalscorer over a period where she contributed to 15 trophies, including six Women’s Super League titles, five FA Cups and two League Cups.
Chelsea will now be looking at a period of transition as manager Emma Hayes will also leave for the United States and the Blues will welcome Sonia Bompastor, who will embark on a new era at Stamford Bridge.
Kirby told the club website: "To leave with the trophies that I have won, with the team-mates I've played with – some of the world's best players – it has been one of the biggest privileges of my life.
"The support I've had has been unmatched. When I had my illness, my injuries, that's when I made some friends for life.
"I will never forget that no matter how bad I felt during those moments, I always felt loved and supported.
"Growing up I never thought I could impact it so much. So I'm really proud I have been able to impact positively and doing that for a club like Chelsea is something I'm really proud of.
"Hopefully, I leave the club in a better place than when I first came in. For me then, the job is done.
"To have been there from the beginning at Staines, playing in front of an amazing crowd there and now to Stamford Bridge. We're selling out the Bridge. It's been an incredible journey with all of you.
"Thank you for embracing me from day one. Helping me overcome some really difficult times and also sharing some amazing times with me. I will never forget how it felt to play in front of all of you.
"I hope I have left the club and the shirt in a place where you all can be proud of me."
Kirby became Chelsea's top scorer in December 2020 after scoring twice against Benfica in the Women's Champions League, overtaking Eni Aluko with her 69th and 70th goals for the club, five years after signing.
She also played an integral role in securing the domestic quadruple in the 2020-21 season, helping Chelsea become the first English women's club to achieve the feat.
The 70-cap England Women's international leaves behind a remarkable legacy, one befitting of her legendary status at Stamford Bridge.
Klopp has '500 reasons' for Liverpool revenge against Spurs after VAR controversy
Jurgen Klopp may be out for a slight revenge on Sunday when Liverpool meet Tottenham at Anfield, having fallen foul of VAR controversy in the reverse Premier League clash.
Spurs won 2-1 at home in the previous meeting in September thanks to Joel Matip's last-gasp own goal as a nine-man Liverpool were unable to hold on at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Reds also had a first-half goal from Luis Diaz ruled out for offside by the VAR after a miscommunication between the video officials and the assistant referee.
With third-placed Liverpool winless in two league games after their 2-2 draw with West Ham last time out, Klopp has that controversy on his mind ahead of the second clash at Anfield.
"It's always a challenge [against Spurs]," the Liverpool manager said at his pre-match press conference.
"I don't want to make it the biggest subject, but I can't forget the Tottenham game as well, it's just so strange.
"So, now we play Tottenham and that was obviously not their fault that night, they just played the game, but I would like to win that game for 500 reasons, that we lost there and the way we lost is one of them."
Tottenham have struggled recently, losing each of their last three after a 2-0 defeat against Chelsea that left them seven points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa, who have played a game more.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou was visibly furious in the first half at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, and acknowledged Tottenham have a long way to go to compete with the elite.
He said: "We need change. Change has to happen. You can’t want to alter your course, and quite dramatically for this club because we went down a certain direction and now we’re pivoting to a whole different direction.
"To expect the same people are going to be on that… it's just not going to happen.
"We've had two windows and we've had some development of players but when I say we've still got a long way to go, that's what I'm talking about."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Liverpool – Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah may have a point to prove against Tottenham, after his disagreement with Klopp before coming on at London Stadium in Liverpool's last outing.
The Egypt forward has gone four Premier League games without a goal or assist – and now is the time for Salah to step up and deliver for the Reds.
Tottenham – Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min has scored in each of his last four Premier League appearances against Liverpool, putting Spurs 1-0 up in the reverse fixture in September.
The only player to score in five consecutive Premier League games against the Reds is Jamie Vardy (between 2016 and 2017).
MATCH PREDICTION – LIVERPOOL WIN
Liverpool may not have won in two Premier League games but they are the favourites in this clash, owing to their remarkable head-to-head record with Spurs at Anfield.
The Reds have lost just one of their last 29 home league matches against Tottenham (W19 D9), a 2-0 defeat way back in May 2011.
Yet it will be no walkover as Spurs are looking to complete their first league double over Liverpool since the 2010-11 season, beating two different Reds managers that season (Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish).
Their last league double over the Reds beating the same manager twice was in Dalglish’s first spell in 1986-87, and this one could be filled with more late drama, too.
Liverpool (3) v Tottenham (3) has provided six 90th-minute winners in the Premier League, the most of any fixture in the competition’s history.
Indeed, both of the last two league meetings between the two sides have been won courtesy of a 90th-minute winner for the home team – will there be another here?
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Liverpool win – 55.7%
Tottenham win – 19.5%
Draw – 24.8%
Pep Guardiola backs England for Euro 2024 success
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes it is only a matter of time before England get over the line at a major international tournament and gives them every chance of triumphing at Euro 2024.
England are among the favourites to win this summer's Euros in Germany along with the host nation, France, Spain and Portugal.
The Three Lions were runners-up at Euro 2020 after losing in heart-breaking fashion on penalties to Italy in the final at Wembley.
They have also come close in the last two World Cup tournaments, making the semi-finals in 2018 and the last eight in 2022.
Guardiola, who has England stars like Phil Foden, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish in his Man City squad, drew comparisons his side knocking on the door in the Champions League for many years before their eventual continental success in 2023.
He would also have closely watched many of his former Barcelona players play a key role in the Spain team at Euro 2008, which would prove to be the first of three straight major tournament successes after many years of near misses for La Roja before that.
With Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham among England's options for the tournament, Guardiola likes what he sees.
"The national team? Really good. But it's not just the talent of the strikers, it's the whole package, the whole group. Gareth [Southgate] knows perfectly what he has to do," Guardiola told reporters.
"I have the feeling, everyone has the feeling, that the England national team, in the last events, the World Cup and European Championships, they made steps.
"They are on the verge, they are really close. They lost a final and got to a semi-final.
"When you arrive at these stages every two years, it's going to happen.
"It's quite similar to us – we were close and, in the end, we lifted it. Just believe it. If they believe it they can do it, believe it and they can do it."
The Euros begin on June 14 and England will be expected to top a group that also contains Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia.
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