Mauricio Pellegrino faces Southampton sack in summer even if boss managers to beat the drop
Pell has failed to impress at St Mary's and chiefs have already drawn up list of replacements, including Fulham's Slavisa Jokanovic
MAURICIO PELLEGRINO is facing the sack at the end of the season — even if Southampton survive.
Argie Pell has won just five of his 29 Prem games and the Saints board have already started drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements.
Fulham’s Slavisa Jokanovic and Ostersunds chief Graham Potter are among their top targets.
Pell, 46, was given a target of a Europa League spot when he replaced Frenchman Claude Puel last summer.
Unlike Puel — who is now head coach at Leicester— he is popular with his players.
But last month the former Liverpool defender seemed resigned to his fate.
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Players out of contract this summer
Premier League
Emre Can (Liverpool)
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Luke Shaw (Man Utd)
Marouane Fellaini (Man Utd)
Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Man Utd)
Ashley Young (Man Utd)
Yaya Toure (Man City)
La Liga
Juanfran (Atletico Madrid)
Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid)
Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid)
Serie A
Stefan De Vrij (Lazio)
Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus)
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
Stephan Lichsteiner (Juventus)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
Andrea Barzagli (Juventus)
Pepe Reina (Napoli)
Davide Santon (Inter Milan)
Bundesliga
Max Meyer (Schalke)
Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
Rafinha (Bayern Munich)
Ligue 1
Mario Balotelli (Nice)
Joao Moutinho (Monaco)
Hatem Ben Arfa (PSG)
Pellegrino said: “Anybody in our job isn’t fixed or safe, even the best manager in the world.
“We have to talk in the present and in the present I am here.”
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Meanwhile, reports claim Southampton also risk losing star midfielder Mario Lemina this summer.
Liverpool are said to be interested in the ex-Juventus ace as a replacement for contract rebel Emre Can.