Russell Martin has signed a new three-year contract as Southampton manager until June 2027.
Martin took charge of the Saints last summer following their relegation from the Premier League and led them straight back up as Play-Off Champions, following victory over Leeds in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium.
Last season also saw Southampton set two new club-records under Martin with a 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions, plus a 22-match unbeaten run in terms of league matches alone.
Southampton consequently have awarded Martin a new three-year contract which the manager is pleased to have signed, viewing the deal as evidence of their commitment for beyond this season.
“Firstly, I’m really grateful to the owners and to Phil [Parsons].
“Once the season was finished, they expressed a desire to discuss a long-term plan with myself and the coaching staff, and it just made me feel that we’re all together and that we are really aligned, really together on the plan and we’re going to attack the Premier League in our way, so it’s really exciting.
“I’d like to thank them for showing that commitment and for really believing in us and what we’ve done and the support they’ve given us so far and I’m really looking forward to continuing the journey, because it’s been an amazing year.
“I feel like we’ve all learned so much as a club, as a group. I feel like there’s so much to be excited about that when we first discussed it there was not even a question from myself or the coaches about what to do.
“It was like ‘Yeah, let’s do this’ and it’s all been tied up pretty quickly and I’m really excited about the season ahead.”
Chairman, Henrik Kraft added that the club “were confident” that Martin was the ideal “excellent fit for the club and his first 12 months here have certainly shown that to be the case.”
Kraft proceeded to praise Martin for his impact across the club as he commented: “He has had an extremely positive impact both on and off the pitch, culminating in promotion from what was one of the most competitive Championship seasons in memory.
“As we return to the Premier League, and after the achievements of last season, we felt it was right to underline the commitment between us.
“We know that historically, promoted teams will face a real battle to survive in the Premier League, but we are excited to see how the squad embraces the challenge that lies ahead this year under Russell’s continued guidance.”