Southampton have been linked with a surprise move for Mark Hughes.
Southampton are enduring a disappointing campaign this season, and poor performances have resulted in speculation over Mauricio Pellegrino’s future.
The Saints chose to move on from Claude Puel at the end of last season, but took something of a gamble by bringing in Pellegrino, who impressed in charge of Alaves last season.
So far, the Argentinian has failed to impress fans, winning just six of his 27 games in charge to hold a dismal 22% win rate, leaving Southampton in a perilous position.
The Saints lie inside the Premier League relegation zone, and whilst they are just one point from safety, they are firmly mired in a relegation battle right now.
Over the weekend, The Mirror reported that Pellegrino now finds himself in trouble, and has been given two games to save his job, requiring four points in those fixtures to remain at St. Mary’s Stadium.
It was even claimed that Southampton are already looking at replacements for Pellegrino if they do end up needing to make a change, and have eyed up Mark Hughes for the role.
Hughes, 54, spent two years with Southampton as a player, scoring just twice in 61 games for the Saints towards the end of his career, and could return to the club having been sacked by Stoke City this month.
Southampton fans have since taken to Twitter to react to the rumours, with many believing that they would rather keep Pellegrino – despite his tactical issues – than bring in Hughes, who struggled at Stoke this term.
Others feel that Southampton may actually stand a better chance of staying in the Premier League with Hughes in charge than Pellegrino, though Marco Silva’s name was also pitched if Pellegrino loses his job.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
