Southampton appoint Russell Martin as manager

Right, the breaking news is something we've been expecting for a while. Southampton have announced that Russell Martin is their new manager and his contract runs until 2026. He of course has been at Swansea for the past two seasons but he is now, they've finally done the deal, sorted out the imponderables and Southampton have their man. Their chairman, Henrik Kraft, has said this, we're extremely excited to welcome Russell to Southampton. Russell was the standout candidate throughout our recruitment process and we're confident his strong track record alongside the experienced leadership of our new director of football, Jason Wilcox, will deliver great results. And Martin has spoken as well, he said, it's a privilege to accept this opportunity at Southampton, a club with such a long and rich history. My aim is to get this club back where it belongs in the top flight of English football. I'm ready for this challenge and will give everything to achieve this aim and to give the supporters a team that makes them proud. I'm thrilled to be here and cannot wait for the work to begin. So Russell Martin, the new manager of Southampton until 2026 at least.