The list was down to three, but the next potential Saints manager is now between Frank De Boer and Claude Puel if you believe what you read or if you think the Daily Echo are in the know, or is it ?
The press are saying that Saints have ruled out Rudi Garcia for the job of replacing Ronald Koeman at St Mary's, the Daily Echo has stated that Saints due diligence is suggesting that he is not the right man.
They are also saying that Saints are looking for credentials that stretch beyond just one club, this would suggest that Frank De Boer would be out of the running, although he has played throughout Europe in a varied career, his managerial experience is only at Ajax.
So the Echo seem to be going big that Claude Puel is the man for Saints, although he lacks the title credentials that De Boer has, he has lead Lille, Lyon and Nice to finishes high in the League and qualifications for Europe, including the season just gone.
However the bookies still don't feel he is the man and they have a new favourite, Manuel Pellegrini is now installed as their man, his odds have tumbled in the last 12 hours and the best price you can get on him is 5/2.
Another name coming up on the rails is Vitor Pereira in 4th spot.
Garcia is still 2nd and Puel is 3rd favourite, if you are quick you can still get 4/1 on him.
Frank De Boer has dropped right down to 12/1 and if you think that Saints could really pull off a coup you can get Unai Emery at 25/1.
So although the Echo who are presumably close to the club mentioning Puel but not Pellegrini or Pereira, are they trying to throw readers of the scent and if so is this at the behest of the club who are trying to keep this all under wraps to stop it getting hijacked at the last moment.
The next couple of days could be interesting with the final interviews being conducted as we speak, at the moment it looks like Claude Puel's red & white army, but could there be another twist, this is Southampton Football Club, nothing is ever straightforward .