Manuel Pellegrini is a shock contender to succeed Ronald Koeman at Southampton.
Koeman is to be confirmed as the new manager of Everton.
The Dutchman has agreed a three-year deal worth £21million with the Merseyside club after Everton agreed to pay Southampton about £3million in compensation package for their highly-rated boss.
Saints pride themselves on the coaching culture at St Mary’s and made two outstanding appointments in Mauricio Pochetino and Koeman.
Pellegrini’s contract with Manchester City ends this month. In his three years at the Etihad he led the Blues to one Premier League crown and League Cup glory twice.
Pellegrini, 62, is keen to land another job in England and hoped to land the Everton vacancy before Koeman was chosen.
Pellegrini – who also has lucrative offers from China on the table – faces competition from Frank de Boer following his resignation from Ajax at the end of the season.
But rather than head to the big money deals in China would prefer to stay in the Premier League.
Koeman, who will today begin a holiday sailing off the Turkish coast on a friend’s luxury yacht, has doubled the money he was on at St Mary’s.
But a key part of Everton’s charm offensive was that owner Farhad Moshiri will also provide the funds for the 53-year-old to build a team capable of challenging for the top four.
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