Former RB Leipzig head coach will be in the stands for Saints' trip to Tottenham on Wednesday
Wednesday 5 December 2018 11:59, UK
Ralph Hasenhuttl has agreed terms on a two-and-a-half-year deal to take over as Southampton boss, Sky Sports News understands.
The Austrian will fly into England Wednesday lunchtime to complete the deal and will be in the stands at Wembley to watch the Saints' Premier League clash with Tottenham.
Hasenhuttl hopes to bring in Danny Rohl, who worked with him at RB Leipzig, as his assistant, but is not expected to make any other additions to the Saints' backroom staff for now.
Rohl, who is just 29 years old, was a technical analyst at Leipzig before being promoted to assistant boss by Hasenhuttl in 2017.
On Monday, Sky Sports News exclusively broke the news Hasenhuttl had agreed in principle to take the job after talks with chairman Ralph Krueger, director of football operations Ross Wilson and other members of the Southampton board.
Wilson, who is understood to be overseeing the football operation following Les Reed's departure, and the Saints board are believed to have made Hassenhuttl the number-one choice due to his impressive record at German clubs Ingolstadt and Leipzig
Hasenhuttl led Leipzig to a second-place finish in their first Bundesliga season and subsequently a first ever Champions League campaign, followed by a Europa League quarter-final.
After a sixth-placed finish last term, he left Leipzig having failed to agree a new contract.
But then-sporting director Ralf Rangnick, who preceded and succeeded him in the dugout, still described Hasenhuttl as "not just a very talented coach but also an incredible person", as he lamented the 51-year-old's departure.
Sky Sports News understands Quique Sanches Flores was also under consideration at St Mary's, while a string of managers such as David Moyes, Nigel Pearson and Carlos Carvalhal had thrown their hats into the ring.
