{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Revealed: Southampton agree new manager deal after late Maresca twist
Russell Martin has agreed a three-year deal with Southampton and he will be announced as their new manager shortly, sources have told Football Insider.
The Saints will pay a six-figure sum to Swansea City as compensation with the 37-year-old still having a year left to run on his contract with the Swans.
Southampton turned to Martin after Man City assistant coach Enzo Maresca rejected the role, as exclusively revealed by Football Insider.
Sources told this site on Monday (22 May) that the 43-year-old Italian turned down an offer from the relegated side to remain at the newly-crowned Premier League champions.
Southampton have already made Man City academy director Jason Wilcox their new director of football – with the ex-England international set to start work on the south coast after serving his notice period.
Wilcox will work closely with Martin with a busy summer of transfer business anticipated at St Mary’s Stadium.
Get Exclusive transfers news at Football Insider's YouTube TV channel
The Saints have already moved to confirm the departure of current boss Ruben Selles after the final day of this season (28 May).
Selles became Southampton’s third permanent appointment of the 2022-23 campaign in February following the earlier sackings of Nathan Jones and Ralph Hasenhuttl.
However, the Spaniard could not prevent relegation to the Championship – with the south coast club returning to the second tier for the first time since 2012.
Meanwhile, Martin has established himself as an exciting force in management since retiring from playing to take the MK Dons job in 2019.
He plays a possession-based style of football, with his Swansea side recording the second-highest possession ratio in the Championship this season (63.8%).
Martin led the Swans to 15th and 10th place finishes in the second tier and is now set to take charge at Southampton – one of the early favourites for an immediate return to the Premier League.
In other news, Premier League giants make big push to sign Romeo Lavia.