Bielsa leads odds to be Southampton boss after Nathan Jones sacking

Bielsa leads bookmakers’ odds to become new Southampton boss after Nathan Jones’ sacking, with Lampard and Gerrard also contenders… and a return for Hasenhuttl is second favourite (despite St Mary’s chiefs axing him in November!)

• Marcelo Bielsa is the bookies’ favourite to take over at struggling Southampton 
• Ralph Hasenhuttl is second favourite despite being axed by Saints in November
• The south-coast club sacked under-pressure manager Nathan Jones on Sunday 

Marcelo Bielsa is the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Nathan Jones in the Southampton job.

Austrian Ralph Hasenhuttl has the second-shortest odds – despite only being sacked by St Mary’s chiefs in November. 

The struggling south-coast club sacked Nathan Jones on Sunday morning after a disastrous 95-day reign which culminated in a last-gasp home defeat against Wolves on Saturday.

Southampton are rock bottom of the Premier League table, four points clear of safety and at real risk of relegation.

And according to odds from Betfair, Bielsa and Hasenhuttl are most likely to take over from Jones in the hot seat – with Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard also in contention.

Marcelo Bielsa (left) and Austrian Ralph Hasenhuttl (right) are the bookmakers’ favourites to replace Nathan Jones at Southampton after the Welshman was sacked on Sunday morning

Jones received his marching orders the day after his side lost 2-1 at home against Wolves

Steven Gerrard (left) and Frank Lampard (right) are also in contention to take over the Saints

Former Leeds boss Bielsa is given odds of 7/2, with Hasenhuttl – who helped Saints avoid the drop in a four-year spell from 2018 to 2022 – 6/1 to get his old job back.

At 10/1 are ex-Tottenham and Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo, former Everton and Liverpool chief Rafael Benitez, and Domenico Tedesco, despite the 37-year-old only being appointed Belgium boss on Wednesday. 

Former England team-mates Lampard and Gerrard, sacked by Everton and Aston Villa respectively this season, are both priced at 12/1.

The 30-year-old Reims boss Will Still, pulling up trees in Ligue 1, is 16/1 to move to the Premier League, according to Betfair.

While Burnley’s Vincent Kompany and Middlesbrough’s Michael Carrick, both impressing in the Championship promotion race, are outsiders at 20/1.

Jones replaced Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s in November, but has been relieved of his duties just three months later after winning just one of his eight league games in charge.

The 49-year-old did lead Southampton to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, but they were eliminated from the competition by Newcastle at the last-four stage.

The final straw came on Saturday when they failed to hang onto a first-half lead despite playing against 10 men for more than an hour. Joao Gomes struck three minutes from time to hand Wolves all three points.

The bookies’ favourites to take over 

Marcelo Bielsa – 7/2

Ralph Hasenhuttl – 6/1

Nuno Espirito Santo – 10/1

Rafael Benitez – 10/1

Domenico Tedesco – 10/1

Steven Gerrard – 12/1

Frank Lampard – 12/1

William Still – 16/1

Vincent Kompany – 20/1

Michael Carrick – 20/1

Odds provided by Betfair. 

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