Ruud van Nistelrooy open to Southampton job if they sack Russell Martin | OneFootball

Ruud van Nistelrooy is keen to remain in the Premier League. This could benefit Southampton, should they wish to sack Russell Martin.

As it stands, Russell Martin is a manager under pressure. While the Saints have no immediate plans to fire the boss, it is clear to see from their league position that Martin must start putting points on the board.

At the same time as Southampton not immediately planning to fire Russell Martin, the board is also not put off by any financial cost that such a decision would make. So, the various reports combined suggest that Southampton's owners are indifferent and their decision could sway either way.

Thankfully, there are a handful of potential Russell Martin replacements in the pipeline, if the decision is made.

Ruud van Nistelrooy open to Southampton job if they sack Russell Martin

According to a report from Football Insider, Ruud van Nistelrooy might be considered among those that could replace Russell Martin. The Man United legend, who recently had a successful stint as interim manager at Old Trafford, is ready to manage in the Premier League.

The Dutchman who is a Premier League goal-scoring legend is eager to manage in the English top flight, after leaving Man United.

The clubs linked to Ruud van Nistelrooy include Southampton, Wolves and Crystal Palace. While it is not mentioned within the Football Insider report, Leicester City have also shown an interest in acquiring Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is still in the earlier days of his managerial career. While he has shown every capability of managing within the Premier League, he has not done so over a long period of time.

It is also worth mentioning that managing Southampton is a different kettle of fish to managing Man United. While it might not seem like it over the last few years, managing Man United comes with a headstart. They have one of the most expensive squads in the world, for a start.

However, this does not rule out Ruud van Nistelrooy from managing Southampton. If Martin is to be dismissed at some point, Southampton are not in a position to be fussy about his replacement. In fact, the appointment might actually excite the Saints more than any other.

A lot will depend on the coming weeks. Southampton's next five fixtures are Liverpool, Brighton, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Tottenham. Therefore, it is understandable that the owners do not want to make any sudden changes before this difficult run.