Forgotten Man Utd starlet who made Premier League debut with Marcus Rashford retires at 28
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Claude Puel is set to lose his job if Southampton’s takeover by a Chinese consortium gets the green-light.
I understand that the new potential owner at St Mary’s – Gao Jisheng – has huge plans for the club and want to take them forward, but they do not see Puel heading that up.
Puel arrived at Southampton last summer, replacing Ronald Koeman and although they are set for a top-half finish and reached the League Cup final, many have questioned the progress of the club.
Current owner Katharina Liebherr is satisfied with Puel, but cannot give him any guarantees, given that she is still hoping to finalise the sale for over £200million.
The Premier League had raised some concerns about the deal, but have been meeting with Liebherr and Lander Sports Development – Jishing’s company – and indications are that they will give the green-light for the takeover.
And with the new owners, there will be a new coach with a number of high-profile names in their sights – but first they need to get over the main hurdle which is the Premier League giving them permission to buy the Saints.
Puel himself is understood to be aware of the situation, but so too are others – hence his odds have been slashed over the weekend, now 8/1 having been 33/1 before the weekend.
We spoke to BetVictor’s Head of ante post Football Michael Triffitt to assess the market on which Premier League manager will be next to leave.
“The next manager to leave his post in the Premier League, irrespective of time frame or season, is proving intriguing as we near the end of the current campaign,” he told TheGamblingTimes.com.
“Relegated Sunderland manager David Moyes has been well backed and remains favourite at 6/4 from 5/4 as there is opposition in the market against him now. Watford manager Walter Mazzarri may be on borrowed time with rumours he will be replaced during the summer. He is 7/2 from 5/1.
“The springer is Southampton manager Claude Puel who is 8/1 from 33/1 after reports began circulating that any potential takeover involving foreign owners may see a new manager at the helm.”
