Southampton appoint Pellegrino

Mauricio Pellegrino speaks English well and previously coached at Liverpool

Southampton have appointed Mauricio Pellegrino as their new manager on a three-year deal.

The 45-year-old, who left his role as boss of La Liga side Alaves in May, was under consideration along with Dutchman Frank de Boer, who has been offered the Crystal Palace job, according to Sky sources.

In Argentinian Pellegrino, Saints vice-chairman Les Reed believes they have found someone who fits seamlessly with the Southampton philosophy after a disappointing campaign with Frenchman Claude Puel at the helm.

Mauricio Pellegrino (right) took Alaves to the Copa del Rey final where they lost to Barcelona

Reed said: “We had an impressive list of candidates and went through a comprehensive interview process.

“Mauricio impressed us throughout with his depth of knowledge, motivation and ability, communicating this in a professional and passionate way.

“He has an excellent understanding of the Southampton way, and his style of play and aspiration matches the philosophy, culture and ambition of the club.

“We firmly believe Mauricio is the right person to help us take the next steps. He knows our players and believes we have a great squad that, with some fine-tuning, will be able to deliver continued success.”

Pellegrino was assistant to Rafa Benitez at Liverpool and also played for the club

Pellegrino said: “The club has a great reputation for having a strong and stable structure, competing in the Premier League and playing attractive football.

“I think my philosophy and the culture of the club will work well together. I am excited and passionate about what the future holds for us and look forward to meeting the players and beginning our preparation for the new season.”

Pellegrino’s familiarity with Premier League football is drawn from his time as a player at Liverpool and then as assistant manager at Anfield to Rafa Benitez for a time, before following the current Newcastle boss to Inter.

Pellegrino was handed his first managerial role as Unai Emery’s successor at Valencia in 2012 but he lasted just six months before he was sacked, and then he returned to his native Argentina.

After spells with Estudiantes and Independiente he took over at Alaves last summer and led them to the Copa del Rey final for the first time in their history, where they were beaten by Barcelona.