Southampton have considered targeting Marcelo Gallardo as their new manager despite being given permission to speak to Nathan Jones.
The Saints have decided to sack Ralph Hasenhuttl following Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United.
There have been rumours about Hasenhuttl leaving for weeks now and Southampton have now decided to pull the trigger.
After nearly four years in charge, Hasenhuttl has gone and Southampton are looking for a new manager to take the club forward.
Southampton have considered targeting Marcelo Gallardo
Southampton have already been given permission to speak to Luton Town boss Nathan Jones.
The Saints have considered other options though and they appear to have one very lofty target in mind if Jones doesn’t arrive.
90Min claim that Southampton have been thinking about a move for Marcelo Gallardo as Hasenhuttl’s successor.
This would be quite the move for Southampton but they are seemingly focusing on Jones for now.
Gallardo, 46, may be a familiar name to some from his playing days with Monaco, River Plate, Paris Saint-Germain and the Argentinian national team.
Gallardo became River manager in 2014 and he went on a run of almost unprecedented success.
River won 14 trophies under Gallardo including two Copa Libertadores titles and one league title in 2021.
Gallardo’s outstanding management of River saw him win three South American Coach of the Year awards.
The link to Gallardo will be interesting to Southampton fans given that Football.London’s Alasdair Gold claimed in 2021 that some in the game believe Gallardo is similar to Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino – another Argentinian coach – fared well at Southampton before heading to Tottenham Hotspur in 2014.
Pep Guardiola has even praised Gallardo for his ‘incredible’ work at River.
Gallardo has already decided to leave River in December but it sounds like he is behind Jones in Southampton’s thinking for their new manager.
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