Southampton could "attract" Graham Potter as their new manager in the summer, as long as they avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to journalist Dean Jones.
What's the latest Southampton manager news?
Ruben Selles is set to take charge of Southampton until the end of the season, however after a promising start, defeating the likes of Chelsea and Leicester City, the manager has struggled in recent weeks, with his side losing their last three games.
Journalist Pete O'Rourke has previously claimed that Selles is "tailor-made" to stay with the Saints if they are relegated from the top flight, due to his previous track record of working with young players, however they may also look at bringing in someone new. Football Insider have recently reported that Potter has set his sights on taking the manager's job at St Mary's, as he believes the club would be a better fit for him than Leicester City, who are also interested.
Now, in an interview with GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that Southampton could win the race for the 47-year-old, as long as they avoid relegation from the Premier League.
The journalist said: "In terms of his reputation, he needs to be very careful that his next job doesn't go wrong. From a professional point of view, he won't want to stay out of the game too long either because he'll want to get back to work and start showing why he was considered such a good coach in the first place at Brighton. I don’t think it’s impossible for a club of Southampton’s size to attract him, but obviously, that means staying up this season and at the moment, that's not looking good."
Should Southampton appoint Graham Potter?
Unfortunately, it is now looking very unlikely that the Saints will be playing Premier League football next season, sitting four points from safety, with just seven games to go.
If Selles' side do manage to stay up, the current manager may feel a little aggrieved if he is not offered the job on a permanent basis, as it would be a remarkable achievement, but Potter would be an excellent appointment.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion boss gained a reputation for developing young players during his time at the Amex Stadium, which would be a valuable asset at a club like Southampton, who rely heavily on bringing in youth products, such as Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia last summer alone.
Hailed as a "brilliant coach" by members of the media, the Englishman transformed the fortunes of Brighton, taking them from 17th in the Premier League all the way up to ninth, and he would be more than capable of doing a similar job at St Mary's.
