NIGEL Pearson would not be interested in a return to Southampton Football Club, it has been claimed.

According to a spokesman for Leicester City, the former Saints boss would not have any interest in a return to St. Mary's.

It is understood that the Pinnacle consortium have placed Pearson near the top of their short list of potential managers.

However his current club have rubbished the possibility of him leaving the team he has just guided to the League One title and promotion back to the Championship.

It comes as Matt Le Tissier has revealed Kevin Keegan is not the only man he has talked to about the managerial vacancy.

Keegan has been heavily linked with a return to Southampton but Le Tissier said: "Kevin is not the only one I have sat down and talked to. I have sat down and talked to a lot of my contacts in the game."

He added: "We need to clarify the manager's position and we will look at that, I have spoken to a lot of people and taken a lot of advice and when the takeover is complete we will sit down and talk about it.

"For me this is a new job and I need to gather as much information as I can and there are several other people I have spoken to and no decision on a new manager has been made."

• The Daily Echo revealed at the weekend that a rival bid headed by Dorset businessman Marc Jackson has lined up a current international manager to lead the League One team.

Mr Jackson has refused to disclose the identity of the manager, but the Echo understands it is Thailand manager Peter Reid.

Reid, who made seven appearances for Saints in 1993/94, was last month also linked with a company planning a bid for Premier League Everton FC.