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Southampton are on the hunt for a new manager following the dismissal of Mark Hughes, with reports in The Telegraph suggesting that former RB Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is the club’s preferred choice.

Hughes leaves St Mary’s with a 22.73% win rate after just five wins, only one of which came during the current Premier League campaign.

Hasenhuttl, meanwhile, is currently without a job after walking away from the Bundesliga side in the summer. The 51-year-old made the decision as he sought clarity over his long-term future, and the club could not guarantee that it would be at Leipzig.

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The Red Bull-backed side had appointed the Austrian in 2016 after he guided Ingolstadt to the German top-tier and kept them in the league, and they instantly went on to finish second to Bayern Munich in Leipzig's first year as a top-flight side.

He is best known for his style of play, which has been compared to Jurgen Klopp's, but is also recognised as a great coach for promoting talent from the youth ranks.

The Telegraph understands that a key aspect of why Hasenhuttl is a leading contender is due to the club not being interested in another short-term appointment, such as Sam Allardyce or David Moyes - something that should appeal to the Austrian.

These Southampton fans are certainly keen on his appointment…