Southampton: Nicola Cortese future at Saints in doubt

Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese's future is in doubt, with leading figures at the club fearing he could leave at the end of the season.

Cortese, 45, has yet to make a final decision on his position, but there is a growing sense of unease at the club's Staplewood training ground.

The former Swiss banker has been a key figure in the Premier League club's rise from the depths of League One.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino has said he would leave if Cortese departed.

"I would not understand staying in this role if Nicola was not here," Pochettino said last season. "The person who actually called me from the start, told me about the project and put the faith in me, was Nicola."

Southampton declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.

It is understood that Cortese's situation does not relate to interest from at least one Italian club, or to a personal desire to pursue a new challenge away from St Mary's.

Cortese considered his position in May as he attempted to clarify the future position of the club with the trust which owns the club. But at that stage, he decided to stay after receiving the necessary assurances.

He bought the Saints in 2009 on behalf of Markus Liebherr, a wealthy Swiss investor, to lift the south-coast club out of administration.

Cortese took on the day-to-day running of the club as they prepared to start the 2009-10 season at the foot of League One. The Saints had been docked 10 points for entering administration under the previous regime.

When German-born Liebherr died suddenly in 2010, the club said "well-laid plans that Liebherr and Cortese mapped out over a year ago will continue to be implemented uninterrupted".

And, after finishing seventh in their first season in the third tier, the South Coast club won back-to-back promotions under former boss Nigel Adkins to seal a Premier League return after a seven-year absence.

Cortese decided to replace Adkins with ex-Argentina defender Mauricio Pochettino in January 2013, when the Saints were three points clear of the relegation zone.

Pochettino guided them to safety with home wins over Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, while they are currently ninth in the top flight after 21 games.