Southampton manager Russell Martin has been linked with the Brighton and Hove Albion job in recent weeks.
It was reported last week that the the Seagulls held talks with Martin during the international break, as they target Roberto De Zerbi’s successor.
Given he was born in Brighton and played for their academy, David Weir, the club’s technical director, views him as a natural fit for the job.
The Saints boss has remained quiet on the story until now, as he addressed the rumour when asked by a reporter.
Russell Martin has ‘no got a clue’ where the rumour came from
When asked about the links to Brighton and Hove Albion, Martin was pretty taken aback and admitted he hadn’t any idea of where the story came from.
“Honestly I’ve not got a clue,” the 38-year-old said.
“The head of media said it to me the other day and I’ve not got a clue. Obviously, I’m from there and the styles are fairly similar.
“It’s probably someone putting two and two together and making five. I’m in a job I’m really happy with, and I need to get promoted to the Premier League. It’s really that simple.”
So, it seems Martin’s intention is certainly to remain at St Mary’s and his sole ambition is to get the club back up to the top flight.
Russell Martin sets his sights on Premier League football
One thing to note from those quotes was his ambition to manage in the Premier League.
Clearly, that is every manager’s dream and Martin is no different in that, so he’ll be desperate to guide Saints back to the big time.
Perhaps, if Southampton were to remain in the Championship another year, he’d be more inclined to entertain Brighton links, but certainly for now, that’s obviously not in his thinking.
It does seem, however, that at some stage, given his ties to the Seagulls, he may end up managing them one day.
Though, at the moment, he’s laser-focused on closing the gap on the top two, with six crucial games still to play, including trips to Leicester City and Leeds United.
Southampton resume Championship action on Tuesday evening, as they welcome Preston North End to the South Coast.
