Southampton close to appointing Ivan Juric as new manager

Southampton is on the verge of hiring Ivan Juric as their new manager on an 18-month contract.

The Croatian is poised to take over from Russell Martin, who was dismissed by the Saints on Sunday following their 5-0 defeat against Tottenham.

Juric, 49, was the head coach of Roma until he was dismissed in November following only 12 games in the role.

Taking the Southampton job would be Juric's initial managerial position beyond Italy.

It is reported that his contract contains a provision for a summer break.

According to club insiders, Juric was one of the two candidates considered for the role of Ralph Hasenhuttl's successor when Nathan Jones took over in November 2022.

The club is looking for a manager who can instill a sense of stability and discipline in the team following their significant loss to Spurs.

It’s unlikely that Juric will be present for the match against Fulham this Sunday at 14:00 GMT.

Southampton sits at the bottom of the Premier League standings, nine points away from safety, with only one victory to their name this season.