Jesse Marsch talks break down as Southampton seek new manager – report

The American looked set to be appointed to succeed Nathan Jones, who was sacked on Sunday, but talks broke down after Marsch wanted a longer deal than was being offered by Saints, prompting a sudden U-turn.

Interim manager Ruben Selles will remain in the job for Southampton's trip to Chelsea on Saturday, but the board may now see him as a possible long-term option as they seek a permanent replacement for Jones, who was removed after only three months.

The club are four points adrift of safety at the bottom of the Premier League having lost seven of their last eight games, with defeat by 10-man Wolves at St Mary's last time out coming as the final straw for the former Luton boss, who struggled to win over the home support.

At 95 days he is the manager with the shortest reign at the club.

Marsch himself was sacked by Leeds last week after a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest left them 17th in the table.

The former RB Leipzig boss was appointed at Elland Road in February of last year and won four of the team's final 14 games, including the final-day victory away at Brentford that sealed survival.

But a run of just two wins in 19 this season led to his dismissal, with the club hovering a point above the bottom three.

Despite guiding the team to Premier League survival, the 49-year-old failed to win universal support at Elland Road, where a section of fans had called for him to be sacked after an eight-game winless run last October.