Nigel Adkins is using the League Managers Association’s legal team to try and settle his outstanding issues with Saints.
The former St Mary’s boss was sacked by executive chairman Nicola Cortese on January 18 and replaced by Mauricio Pochettino.
It is understood that Saints have placed Adkins on gardening leave. The club are still paying him his regular salary rather than immediately settling his contract, which had more than two years still to run.
Adkins has asked the LMA’s legal experts to try and help him remedy the situation as soon as possible so he can move on.
Under the regular terms of gardening leave, a person usually waives the right to have any further compensation if they take another job.
Adkins has been linked with jobs at the likes of Blackpool, Huddersfield and Swindon since leaving Saints – but potentially faced walking away from his Saints pay-off should he have taken one.
There is every chance he may not have considered those roles anyway.
But that might not be the case with Leeds United who are understood to be keen to sound him out as a possible replacement for Neil Warnock, who has indicated he could leave in the summer.
It is understood that since his dismissal Adkins, who led Saints to back-to-back promotions to the Premier League, has taken a holiday but is still living in the area, albeit keeping a very low profile.
He is sure to be a much-in-demand man for clubs with a managerial vacancy to fill.
His record both with Saints and Scunthorpe shows the ability to get clubs promoted – last season he collected his fourth Football League promotion in six seasons as a manager.
And after the impact he was starting to have on Saints in the top flight before he was sensationally axed, he could even potentially land a Premier League job.
However, first on the agenda is to get a settlement with Saints so he can move on.
Saints did not respond to a request for a comment.
