Premier League strugglers Southampton and Leicester City could discover their chances of hiring Russell Martin this week with the Swansea City boss reportedly set to hold talks with his current employers.
With Southampton’s relegation confirmed on Saturday – a typically limp, insipid 2-0 home defeat to mid-table Fulham the final nail in their coffin – Leicester’s latest defensive disasterclass almost felt like a show of solidarity for their fallen foes from the banks of the Solent.
Two years to the day from that FA Cup final victory over Chelsea, Dean Smith’s Foxes were swept aside by Liverpool as Curtis Jones and co ran riot at the King Power.
Smith has won just one out of six games since replacing Brendan Rodgers on an interim basis. Ruben Selles’s win rate – 13 per cent – is even worse.
Presuming neither Smith nor Selles are kept on beyond the current campaign, reports suggest that Leicester and Southampton could soon be going head-to-head for a man who has worked wonders in highly-testing circumstances at the Liberty Stadium.
Will Russell Martin take over at Southampton or Leicester City?
According to the Daily Mail, Russell Martin has admirers at Leicester City. Ditto, St Mary’s (talkSPORT).
The former Rangers and Norwich City defender has just one year left on his contract too, with Wales Online reporting that discussions over his future will take place in the coming days. Andy Coleman, who was appointed as the Swans’ new chairman at the start of May, will lead the talks, with the Brighton-born 37-year-old surely deserving of fresh terms.
Martin guided Swansea to a 10th place finish, just three points off the play-offs. That is despite being forced to contend with distracting off-pitch issues, and the sale of many a key player.
He has instilled one of the most cultured footballing styles in the EFL. Only runaway champions Burnley average more possession than Swansea’s 64 per cent per game. Martin has also helped to hone the talents of a crop of exciting young players.
“I personally think it’s the best way to play,” said Harry Darling; a ball-playing centre-half who followed his boss from MK Dons to South Wales last summer.
“I love working with him. The style is different. But, when it gets going, it’s such an exciting way of playing and it can really dominate teams.”
In addition to Martin, Southampton are also fans of Plymouth Argyle’s Steven Schumacher.
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