It was recently revealed that Southampton won't sack Russell Martin immediately. However, if the decision must be made, the Saints won't be put off financially.
Russell Martin has achieved some great things since becoming Southampton manager. He played an attractive brand of football in the Championship, fostering a "never say never" attitude which helped the Saints back to the Premier League via the playoff route.
However, since the Saints have returned to the English top flight, they have been lacklustre. They have lost every game in the Premier League except two, picking up only four points.
Southampton fans don't need to be reminded anymore about the Premier League table. However, it does beg the question about whether Russell Martin is safe in his job.
As it stands, Martin is in no immediate danger of losing his Southampton job. However, the Saints are not opposed to the decision.
Southampton are not opposed to financial cost of sacking Russell Martin
According to a report from Football Insider, Southampton are aware of the financial strain that sacking Russell Martin would cause. However, this will not be a consideration, if Southampton find themselves in a position of needing to sack Martin.
It will cost around £12 million for Southampton to sack Russell Martin. This is due to the new contract which he was offered in pre-season, after helping the Saints back to the Premier League.
From Southampton's perspective, if £12 million is what it costs to break his contract, then it's a cost they will pay. However, only if they deem it necessary for the health of the club.
As it stands, Southampton do not consider Russell Martin in any danger. If anything, he is valued highly at the club and the owners are placing blame on the players, rather than Russell Martin himself.
That said, Southampton will be under a microscope upon returning from the international break. There is a lot of pressure on the Saints to overturn their poor fortunes at the start of this season.
After the international break, Southampton face Liverpool at home, Brighton away, Chelsea at home, Aston Villa away and Tottenham at home. So, five difficult fixtures for Rusell Martin.
Therefore, the Saints will need some strong performances. While the odds are heavily stacked against them, they cannot lose every game if they wish to achieve their objective of staying safe in the Premier League.