Southampton have released a statement announcing their CEO has stepped down amid their ongoing pursuit of Swansea City head coach Russell Martin.
Martin is edging ever closer to becoming the Saints’ new manager and he will be tasked with getting the south coast side back into the Premier League following their top-flight relegation.
The St Mary’s outfit have one game of the season left - against Liverpool on Sunday - before attentions will turn to the Championship campaign.
READ MORE: Russell Martin to Southampton Live updates
Change is already afoot at the club, with a statement released on Monday confirming that Martin Semmens has left his role as CEO, with Sport Republic - the majority shareholder at St Mary’s – taking full operational control of the club.
Dragan Solak has been appointed chairman of Sport Republic but Rasmus Ankersen will continue as chief executive of the company and Henrik Kraft stays on as club chairman
A statement read: “These are the first of many changes that we will be making to ensure the success of the club.
“Our incoming director of football, Jason Wilcox, will lead a review of the football department and we will announce the club’s leadership team for next season in the coming weeks.
“By taking these steps now, we are laying the groundwork for our goal of returning Southampton FC to the Premier League as soon as possible.”
Reports in the local press in Southampton have revealed a timeframe on the club’s pursuit of Martin.
According to the Daily Echo, senior figures inside the club want the appointment confirmed ahead of the upcoming operations statement regarding their assault on the Championship next term.
Current boss Selles confirmed that Sport Republic will release a plan of action for how the club plan to move forward, with players said to have already seen it.
The plan is set to be released after the game against the Reds, suggesting an announcement will be made this week on the Saints' new manager.
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