Southampton Confirm Will Still as New Manager with Three-Year Contract

Southampton FC have hired Will Still as their new manager. The former RC Lens boss signed a three-year deal at St. Mary’s Stadium. The official announcement will come this weekend as the Saints get ready for try and get back into the Premier League as soon as possible after being relegated to the Championship this season.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Southampton and RC Lens have agreed to let Will Still become Southampton’s new permanent first-team manager. The 32-year-old signed a contract until June 2028. He recently left RC Lens for personal reasons, wanting to return to England. The Saints needed a new manager after their promotion and chose Still to lead them into the 2025/26 season.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Still is known as a promising young coach whose teams are strong defensively. In France with Reims and RC Lens, he showed his tactical skills and ability to boost player performance. Southampton fans are divided; some are excited by his modern coaching style, while others worry about his lack of Premier League experience.

After just one season in the Championship, Southampton are back in the Premier League. They finished second, behind Leicester City, with 92 points, five more than third-placed Norwich City. Still’s hiring shows a commitment to smart, tactical coaching as they prepare for the challenges of the Premier League.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR SOUTHAMPTON?

With Still now in place, Southampton can focus on summer transfers to strengthen their squad for the Premier League. The new manager will assess the squad right away, with pre-season training starting in early July. Southampton’s first Premier League game is in mid-August when the 2025/26 season starts.

After their promotion, the Saints aim to stay in the Premier League, focusing on survival. The first five games will be key to setting the season’s tone. With Still’s defensive and tactical approach, Southampton hope to build a team that can compete at the top level of English football once again.