Saint-Etienne have dismissed their manager and have already sought out Southampton boss Puel, according to reports.
Southampton manager Claude Puel
Southampton’s managerial saga has taken an unexpected twist as Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne have spoken to the Premier League side’s boss Claude Puel about taking charge following Christophe Galtier’s departure, as reported by The Sun.
Despite leading Southampton to an 8th placed finish in the Premier League, as well taking the club to a League Cup final, which they lost 3-2 to Manchester United, Puel is largely unpopular with the Saints’ fanbase and came in for criticism towards the end of the season.
Southampton manager Claude Puel
Southampton fans see his style of play as negative and boring, and it speaks volumes that top scorer Charlie Austin spent five months injured and yet still remained the club’s top scorer, with nine goals in 21 appearances.
However, it now seems that Puel could jump before he’s pushed following talks with Saint-Etienne, who departed with manager Galtier after eight years of service very recently, despite Galtier having an impressive 42.06% win ratio.
Southampton manager Claude Puel before the match
According to L’Equipe, Puel is on a two-man shortlist for the Saint-Etienne job along with former Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri, while it seems Southampton have plenty of options themselves regarding who they could hire as a replacement.
It’s possible that they could turn to Ranieri themselves if Puel does take the Saint-Etienne job, while Garry Monk is also available following his shock resignation at Leeds United.
Southampton manager Claude Puel
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