Southampton reportedly facing stiff competition for Hull’s Marco Silva
By Chris Hughes
With rumours of Claude Puel’s sacking intensifying, Marco Silva is the favourite to replace him. But the Saints aren’t his only admirers.
Earlier this week L’Equipe reported that Claude Puel’s future was up in the air, after a mixed season had left the fans without much hope in his ability.
Marco Silva was instantly thrown in to the hot-seat, with odds as low as 7/2 that he would be Southampton’s next manager. The Portuguese’s heroics to all-but keep Hull City in the Premier League have seen him linked with a host of other teams, who are swarming like sharks for the former Olympiacos boss.
The Saints are no longer alone in their reported chase of the 39-year-old manager, with two London clubs also sniffing around the Tiger boss.
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The first of the two is Watford, who have developed a reputation of chewing managers up and spitting them out in recent years. They’re on their seventh manager since 2012 and no manager since Gianfranco Zola has managed more than a season.
Last summer they sacked Quique Sanches Flores despite a successful season back in the top flight, and this time around speculation has suggested that they’re unhappy with Walter Mazzari’s lack of progress.
As of late the Watford board of shown preference to a foreign manager making a move for Silva a realistic option, and the prospect of moving to the capital could tempt the Portuguese coach.
But with Slaven Bilic having just a season left of his three-year contract at West Ham United, the Hammers could make a move by sacking the Croat to bring in Silva, if reports are to be believed.
After a top-half finish at the first attempt Bilic’s side are now stuttering in 15th, with a host of summer signings under-performing, alongside the obvious move to the London Stadium.
Both sides would appeal to Silva if he interested in a move away Hull come the end of the season, with the capital city appeal naturally giving them an edge over Southampton.
But with the Saints arguably having a better squad the aforementioned duo, it leaves things very much in the balance in the chase for the 39-year-old.
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