The agent of Gastón Ramírez has reportedly indicated the player could leave St Mary’s in January and that he is not keen on the club’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino.

Pablo Betancourt has been quoted in Italy as saying that Serie A side Napoli, who are rumoured to be interested in the 22-year-old, represent a possible destination for him when the next transfer window opens. Napoli, managed by ex-Liverpool and Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez, left are currently second in Serie A with six wins and a draw from seven matches.

Betancourt is also said to have suggested that, while the Uruguayan likes Saints executive chairman Nicola Cortese, he is not a fan of Pochettino.

“Napoli is a possibility,” Betancourt is reported to have told website napolicalciolive.com.

“Gastón really likes the chairman, Nicola Cortese, but not the coach, Pochettino.”

Ramírez, who is under contract until 2016, is yet to start a Premier League game for Saints this season.

He did not even make the bench for their last match, a 2-0 home win against Swansea.

Pochettino confirmed after that fixture that the playmaker had been fit for selection, but that he had chosen to leave him out of the squad.

While the transfers of Victor Wanyama and Dani Osvaldo have since overtaken him, Ramírez did hold the title of being Saints' record signing when he joined from Serie A side Bologna, for a fee of about £12m, in the summer of 2012.

While he has shown flashes of impressive form, he has struggled for consistency and has not yet been as influential a figure as many had hoped he would be.

Ramírez has started 20 league games since joining Saints, while he has made 10 appearances from the bench and has scored five goals.

He has not started a Premier League match since April 13 2012, when he scored in a 1-1 draw against West Ham at St Mary’s.

He has also made two starts in the Capital One Cup this season, netting twice – once each against Barnsley and Bristol City.

Ramirez is currently away on World Cup qualifying duty with Uruguay.

He was introduced as a 78th minute sub during a 1-0 defeat in Ecuador on Friday night that effectively ended Uruguay’s chances of qualifying for next summer’s tournament via a top four group finish.

Instead, they will have to win a two-legged play off against Jordan in order to book their spot in Brazil.

Uruguay’s final qualifying group game is against Argentina tomorrow.