Claude Puel is on the brink of being sacked by Southampton amid player unrest about his methods.
The Times understands that although the French manager’s departure is not yet confirmed, it will be announced once the terms of his exit have been agreed with the Premier League club. He has two years remaining on his contract having only been appointed last summer.
The sacking has been on the cards since the end of the season, despite Puel leading Southampton to the League Cup final, where they lost to Manchester United, and an eighth place finish in the Premier League.
There are concerns about the way the team was being set up under the Frenchman. Some players also believe Puel has favourites in the squad, regardless of form, while others have been unhappy with the decision to start Nathan Redmond in only four of Southampton’s final seven games of the season. There is dissatisfaction, too, about Puel’s decision to name his starting side at the eleventh hour, leaving players less time to prepare.
Puel had been in talks with Saint-Étienne about taking charge of the Ligue 1 club but he eventually turned down the role.
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It promises to be a busy summer for Southampton’s board who, as well as needing to appoint a new manager, are facing the prospect of selling Virgil van Dijk - a complaint has been made by the club about Liverpool’s pursuit of the player.
The club’s owner, Katharina Liebherr, is also being investigated by German tax authorities over the liability of her late father, Markus Liebherr, who bequeathed Southampton to her after his death in 2010, an investigation which could increase the pressure on Katharina to sell the club.
