Southampton hold talks with Jesse Marsch after dismissal of Jones

Southampton held talks with Jesse Marsch on Monday as they stepped up their search for a manager. Marsch, dismissed by Leeds last Monday, has been identified as a candidate to succeed Nathan Jones, who was sacked after 94 days. Jones left the club bottom of the Premier League after a run of seven defeats in eight league games.

Southampton sounded out Marsch last week and are understood to admire his high-pressing style. Marsch has worked across the Red Bull group at New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, where the former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl, whom Jones replaced, spent two years in charge.

Marsch has remained in the UK. He kept Leeds in the top flight last season after succeeding Marcelo Bielsa but was sacked with Leeds 17th after seven games without a win.

Rubén Sellés, who last summer was appointed first-team lead coach at Southampton as part of a coaching reshuffle by the club’s owner, Sport Republic, has taken interim charge and is expected to lead the team at Chelsea on Saturday.

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The 39-year-old, a former Copenhagen assistant, is highly regarded at Southampton and could emerge as a contender for the managerial vacancy. Sellés took charge of the team’s penalty shootout victory over Sheffield Wednesday when Hasenhüttl exited after four years in November.