Former City Boss Pellegrini linked with vacant Southampton job

Southampton’s search for a new manager has taken a further twist, with Claude Puel, Vitor Pereira and Manuel Pellegrini all on the shortlist before further interviews this weekend.

The bookmakers’ favourite has been Rudi Garcia but, after talks over recent days, the former Lille and Roma manager is no longer regarded as an option. Frank de Boer, André Villas-Boas and Eddie Howe are also not on the shortlist list, but Pellegrini has emerged as a potential candidate after signals that he would be interested in talking to Southampton and remaining in the Premier League following his departure from Manchester City.

Southampton want a manager who encourages a high-pressing and passing style, as well as a willingness to promote young players and, ideally, experience of European football. Executive director of football Les Reed is leading the search and has identified Puel and Pereira as viable candidates, but the club are still exploring all their options.

Puel, 52, has managed at Monaco, where he won the French league in 2000, as well as Lille, Lyon and Nice, whom he left at the end of last season.

Pereira, who is 47, joined Fenerbahce only last year but was the winner of two league titles in two seasons at Porto and a league title in Greece in his only season at Olympiacos.

The Southampton players return for preliminary fitness testing on June 28, with the club hoping to have their new manager out on the training pitch then. The signing of winger Nathan Redmond from Norwich City is also expected early next week