Southampton eye Portuguese title-winner after Carlos Corberan doubts emerge

TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Santa Clara coach Vasco Matos is on Southampton’s list of potential Russell Martin replacements but the Premier League strugglers have concerns over West Brom manager Carlos Corberan.

Southampton are on the lookout for a new head coach after sacking Russell Martin amid the wreckage of Sunday’s 5-0 home defeat 😼by Tottenham Hotspur.

And, while relegation rivals Wolves are c𝔍losing in on Al-Shabab boss Vitor Pꦫereira, The Saints are still at the stage of identꦓifying potentialಌ targets and drawing up a shortlist.

That shortlist, TBR have been informed, includes former Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand, Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl, and the aforementioned Carlos Corberan.

A more left-field option, how🃏ever, cℱould be Vasco Matos.

Southampton eye Vasco Matos after Russell Martin sacking

TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has been told that Vasco Mato💝s is indeed a 🐻genuine option at St Mary’s.

The 44-year-old is currently 𝓀in charge of San🔴ta Clara in the Portuguese top flight.

Matos took over at the E๊stadio de Sao Miguel in 2023 and immediately took Santa Clara back to Portugal’s 👍top flight, winning the second tier with a club-record points haul.

Matos, who made his name while inspiring lower-league FC Alverca to a shock cup win over Sporting Lisbon five years ago, also presided over one of th🎉e most impressive defensive records in Europe. Santa Clara, while losing only three times, conceded a grand total of 19 goals in 34 matches.

Not content with merely guiding Santa Clara to promotion, Matos’ Primeira Liga newcomers currently sit a remarkable fourth with nine wins from 14 games. They are only five points off Benfica in the𓂃 third.

That ability to g🌳et a limited squad overachieving in the table’s upper echelons, plus his success in organising a backline, should appeal to a Southampton side with only five points and concedin♋g 2.25 goals per game on average.

TBR have learned that Mato💫s⛦, like Hillsborough chief Rohl, is not currently at the top of Southampton’s wishlist, however.

Southampton have concerns over West Brom boss Carlos Corberan

Southam♛pton would ideally like to bring in a free-agent rather than pay a compensation fee for a manager currently under contract elsewhere.

Hence why Southamp❀🍒ton are considering former Roma boss Ivan Juric – sacked after only 12 games at the Serie A g🔯iants – and the unat൲tached Kasper Hjulmand.

Carlos Corberan has a £2.5 million release clause🔜 at West Brom. A clause South🌼ampton currently have reservations about t✃riggering.

While The Saints would perhaps benefit from a change in approach – Martin’s refusal to renege on hisꩵ passing principles saw Southampton give up so many goals through unforced errors – there is a concern that Corberan’s style is simply too different to the man who masterminded that play-off final victory over Leeds U♚nited.

As emphasi💖sed by a tally of 10 draws from their last 13 matches, Corberan’s teams tend to be a little bit more safety-first.

And, while Martin usually played the same way regardless of the opposition, a man who worked under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United often adapts his approach depending on the𒅌 strengths and weaknesses of their rivals on the day.