Southampton Manager Mauricio Pochettino May Leave If Chairman Departs: The Daily EPL

Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino has threatened to quit the club if chairman Nicola Cortese leaves the south-coast club.

Asked if he would stay if Cortese left the club, Pochettino said:

 “Of course not, because the person that has put his faith in me in this club and as a manager is Nicola Cortese. Nicola Cortese has basically been the reality at Southampton for the past four years.

“Of course, the people that are in the club, that are part of the club, that are behind the scenes in the club were a little bit worried about what has been said.

“Me on a personal sense, I would not understand a Southampton without Nicola being here.”

While Pochettino’s English isn’t the greatest, the message is quite clear. Cortese is expected to make a decision within the next month, but the warning signs for Southampton are evident. Cortese is unhappy with the Trust that is in place to run the club, and Cortese wants the Trust to underwrite Southampton’s commitment — presumably with transfer funds — to solidify the team in the top flight for several seasons to come.

Here are today’s Premier League news headlines:

• Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino may leave if chairman departs — BBC Sport
• Frank Lampard signs new one-year contract at Chelsea — The Guardian
• Rafael Benitez says club will spend €100m on new players in the summer — The Telegraph
• Cup success is all down to Fernando Torres, claims Branislav Ivanovic — Evening Standard
• Massimo Ambrosini has emerged as a possible transfer target for West Ham — Sky Sports
• How Alex Ferguson built a Manchester United that can win without him — Deadspin
• Swansea close to loaning Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea — The Mail
• Michael Carrick named Player of the Year in Manchester United awards — The Guardian
• Petr Cech perplexed by potential for Premier League showdown — The Independent
• Aston Villa to offer new deals to Benteke, Weimann, Baker and Clark — The Mail
• QPR striker Loic Remy bailed in ‘rape’ inquiry — The Independent
• Mathieu Debuchy backs Newcastle’s French players to shine next season — Sky Sports
• Feisty Swansea defender Neil Taylor has no intention of toning down tackles — This Is South Wales
• Why turn to Pellegrini when there’s Pardew, Poyet, Martinez? — The Mail
• Swansea quietly confident they will sign Romelu Lukaku and Iago Aspas — This Is South Wales
• Wayne Rooney or Frank Lampard will captain England in their friendlies — BBC Sport

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