SOUTHAMPTON are planning to axe Ivan Juric at the end of the season and have identified Danny Rohl as their top target.
The Saints are on course for one of the worst seasons in Premier League history and have won just one game since Juric replaced Russell Martin in December.
RexIvan Juric faces the axe as Southampton battle to avoid a Prem low[/caption]
RexThe Saints fancy Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl as their next boss[/caption]
Juric was appointed on an 18-month deal at the end of last year but is not expected to be in charge come the start of next season in the Championship.
The south coast side sit on nine points and need two more from their last 11 games to match Derby’s all-time low tally of 11.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Rohl, who worked at St. Mary’s alongside ex-boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, was a target after Martin was sacked.
However, talks stalled over compensation demands while there is a fractious relationship between the two clubs.
While Rohl’s compensation could reach up to £4million for a Premier League club, Southampton would not have to pay quite as much as a Championship side.
Rohl also worked with Southampton’s new technical director, Johannes Spors, when the pair were at German club RB Leipzig.
Juric was never expected to keep Saints in the Premier League when he arrived with the club already nine points from safety.
But neither players nor fans have bought into the former Roma manager’s approach and Southampton have suffered a number of galling defeats during his tenure.
Surely only pride is at stake for the Saints as they sit 13 points off safety
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These include a 5-0 loss to Brentford and consecutive 4-0 defeats to Brighton and Chelsea in their last two outings.
The Saints are eight points adrift of Leicester and Ipswich, having conceded 65 goals in their 27 Prem games.
And they are a massive 13 points adrift of fourth-bottom Wolves.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa are being linked with a summer approach for one of Southampton’s rare shining lights.
Midfielder Tyler Dibling, 19, had already been linked with a string of major clubs in January.
Tottenham, Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig were all said to be keen on the England Under-21 star.
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