Southampton have confirmed the appointment of Mark Hughes as the new manager following the sack of Argentine Mauricio Pellegrini.
Hughes was confirmed by the club on Wednesday night with his first game billed to be the FA Cup game against Wigan Athletic on Sunday.
Southampton, in a statement, said: “The club is confident that this appointment will allow the complete focus of the manager, players and staff to be on the remaining games of this season.”
The former Saints player claimed he could not turn down the opportunity to become Southampton’s new manager.
The former Stoke City manager is to be at the helm till season end and it is believed he would earn a £1m bonus if the club survives the drop.
“It’s a challenge I’m excited by,” Hughes said. “It’s a great opportunity to come back to a club I know well and a club I’ve got real affinity with, and I couldn’t turn that down.
“I bring experience of the Premier League and I’ve won a lot of points in my career as a Premier League manager. I understand what it takes to win games in this league. First and foremost, it’s about coming in and giving different messages from myself and the staff.”
Hughes had previously managed Wales, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.
