Southampton close to appointing Martin as Selles exits

Russell Martin took implicit astatine Swansea successful August 2021

Southampton are adjacent to announcing the assignment of Swansea City caput manager Russell Martin arsenic their caller boss.

Saints person confirmed the Spaniard's declaration volition not beryllium renewed erstwhile it expires astatine the extremity of the season.

Former Scotland defender Martin volition beryllium joined astatine Southampton by immoderate members of his Swansea backroom team.

Southampton volition wage compensation for Martin and his staff, whose Swansea contracts tally until 2024.

Martin had been owed to question to the USA past week for talks astir his aboriginal with Swansea's American ownership group, but the travel was called off.

He has said connected a fig of occasions helium would beryllium funny successful extending his enactment successful Wales, but nary caller woody materialised.

Former Norwich City skipper Martin signed a three-year declaration erstwhile helium near MK Dons to win Steve Cooper astatine Swansea successful August 2021.

He led Swansea to 15th successful his archetypal twelvemonth arsenic a Championship brag and past 10th successful the run which has conscionable finished.

Swansea began the play with promise, climbing arsenic precocious arsenic 4th successful October, earlier a agelong slump successful signifier which preceded a rousing finish, with Martin's broadside ending 2022-23 with a nine-game unbeaten run.

His squad played the benignant of possession shot which has been the club's trademark for overmuch of the past 15 years, with his committedness to that benignant believed to entreaty to Southampton's hierarchy.

In a abbreviated connection announcing that 39-year-old Selles would beryllium leaving, Southampton said: "The nine wants to spot connected grounds its acknowledgment to Ruben for taking connected the managerial presumption astatine a hard clip for the nine and for giving his each arsenic we attempted to enactment successful the Premier League.

"Ruben volition instrumentality complaint of the squad for the last crippled against Liverpool connected Sunday astatine St Mary's. We privation him each the champion for his aboriginal career."