Daily Echo:

Saints' managerial hunt is drawing to a close with Mauricio Pellegrino expected to become the club's new boss.

Pellegrino and Frank De Boer were the two leading candidates for the vacancies at both Saints and Crystal Palace, with the former having become first choice for at least the role at St Mary’s.

Palace are believed to have been told that Pellegrino favours joining Saints, and therefore they moved quickly to offer De Boer the job.

It removes the last remaining obstacle and gives Saints a clear run in negotiating a deal to make the 45-year-old Argentinian their new manager, with no last minute hitches expected.

The Daily Echo understands that it is touch and go that there will be a formal announcement from Saints this side of the weekend, with the start of next week looking more likely.

It is believed Markus Weinzierl joined Pellegrino and De Boer on the Saints shortlist, but Pellegrino has impressed the most in interviews.

The former Barcelona and Liverpool player, who has managed at Valencia and Alaves in Spain as well as Estudiantes and Independiente in his native Argentina, is in a similar mould to his good friend and former Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino.

His footballing philosophy and willingness to develop young players have been key factors in attracting Saints’ interest.

Unlike Pochettino, there also won’t be any language issues as Pellegrino speaks good English.

Weinzierl appeared late on the radar and was a somewhat left-field contender for the role, but is admired by the club’s managerial recruitment team of Les Reed and Ross Wilson.

Weinzierl’s record certainly suggests he ticks many of the boxes the club are looking for, though he would have been a tough sell to the club’s fans who may have viewed him as a very similar type of appointment to the recently axed Claude Puel.

Pellegrino, however, is clearly now first choice for the job and and is expected to become the club’s new manager.