Topics: Premier League, Southampton, Claude Puel, Ronald Koeman
The Saints have named a new manager after parting ways with Ronaldo Koeman.

Premier League side Southampton has appointed Claude Puel as their new manager following Ronald Koeman’s move to Everton. The 54-year old boss has been handed a three-year contract to manage the Saints after they finished sixth on the log in the 2015/16 season. 

The Frenchman has no experience of coaching football clubs outside his home country, and this is set to be his first major test in European football. However, he knows a few things about some managers in the league, particular Arsene Wenger. Puel was a former Monaco player at a time when Arsene Wenger was the manager of the French outfit. 


Learn more about #SaintsFC's new manager, as we profile Claude Puel's career so far. #SaintClaude https://t.co/0cKP2U7QVt

He attracted the interest of the Saints after steering French Ligue 1 side Nice to fourth-place finish last season. Speaking moments after the appointment, Les Reed, Southampton’s executive director of football said:

"Claude clearly came out on top of a very impressive shortlist.

"We have not only got the best man, but the right coaching team to support him.

"In order to ensure we appointed a manager who would meet our needs as a club, feedback from the dressing room, as well as taking account of our culture, vision and values was critical in drawing up our criteria for the appointment."

Puel started his managerial club with Monaco, the club he had played for between 1979 and 1996. He won the Ligue 1 with the French outfit in 2000, the Trophee des champions the same year, and emerged runner-up in the Coupe de la Ligue in 2001. He then left and joined Lille between 2008 and 2011. After leaving Lille, he joined Lyon and later Nice before leaving for the Premier League to join the Saints for his first ever managerial career outside France.