Southampton agree Ivan Juric deal

Southampton have agreed a deal with Ivan Juric to become their new manager.

Juric has agreed a deal until the summer of 2026 with the a two-year option to extend. The contracts are being drafted and Juric is expected to arrive in the UK today (Friday). The Croatian will have a visa appointment and, if all goes to plan, he will be in place for Southampton’s trip to Fulham on Sunday.

Juric is viewed by Southampton as a strong character who is good at making teams hard to beat through physical intensity and a solid defensive structure, though does have good ideas in possession too. After winning only once in their opening 16 league games, the club felt the main job now is for the team to be more intense and solid at the back.

Juric is available having parted ways with Roma in November after fewer than two months in charge at the Stadio Olimpico.

The 49-year-old was appointed in September following the sacking of former captain Daniele De Rossi but was dismissed after Roma’s 3-2 defeat by Bologna left them sitting 12th in Serie A. Juric previously spent three years in charge of fellow Serie A side Torino and was previously in the final two for the Southampton vacancy following Ralph Hasenhuttl’s departure in December 2022, only for Nathan Jones to get the job.

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Southampton were in talks over potentially appointing Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl, formerly an assistant on the south coast during Hasenhuttl’s time in charge, but compensation was an issue and the Premier League side were unwilling to pay a large sum to secure the 35-year-old’s services. Wednesday were unwilling to let Rohl depart cheaply, particularly following their good start to the season which has them five points off the play-offs 21 games into the campaign.

Southampton are looking for their fourth permanent manager in two years after Russell Martin was sacked following Southampton’s 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on December 15.

The 38-year-old took over at St Mary’s in July 2023 and led the club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking via the Championship play-offs. However, Southampton won just one of their opening 16 Premier League matches under Martin to leave them bottom of the Premier League.

Under-21s manager Simon Rusk was placed in interim charge and led the side in their Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat by Liverpool on Wednesday.

Southampton are 20th in the Premier League after taking five points from 16 matches this season.