A LEADING contender for the forthcoming managerial vacancy at Saints has revealed his ambition of working in the Premiership.

Former Marseille boss Alain Perrin is reportedly high on chairman Rupert Lowe's wanted list after leaving the French giants last week following a poor run of results.

He said: "In my career working in England is something I would like to do.

"I like English football - English football impresses me."

But the 47-year-old also denied national newspaper reports claiming Lowe had held talks with him in France last week.

However, it is understood the terms of his severance with Marseille are at a delicate stage, meaning he may well be reluctant to talk specifically about the possibility of succeeding Gordon Strachan as St Mary's boss.

Perrin added: "I am still clearing up my situation with Marseille. I am in talks with the President this week.

"I have had no contact with Southampton."

Talk of a foreign boss taking over at Saints has gathered momentum ever since Strachan confirmed he would be taking a break from football at the end of the season.

Others mentioned have been fellow Frenchmen Philippe Troussier and Bruno Metsu, who led Japan and Senegal to respective World Cup success in 2002.

World Cup winner Alan Ball yesterday urged Saints to choose a British manager - although the trend now could be to look abroad, particularly following the success in the English game of the likes of Arsene Wenger, Jean Tigana, Gerard Houllier and Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Perrin is highly rated on the continent and is likely to come with glowing references from Saints centre-back Michael Svensson, whom he managed at Troyes.

In a fantastic success story in French football, he guided Troyes from the relative obscurity of the semi-pro Fourth Division into the top flight and the UEFA Cup in a remarkable ten-year period.

Perrin joined Marseille in the summer of 2002.

They just missed the title by three points last season and finished behind Real Madrid and FC Porto in their Champions League group this season.

But he left Marseille following a run of nine defeats in 15 matches, although they were still in the top ten of the table and in the UEFA Cup.

Perrin was given his first coaching job by Arsene Wenger at Nancy where he was a defender.

Friends say he is very much in the intellectual Wenger mould and he holds a degree in sports science.

If he did come to St Mary's, it would not be the first time Lowe had looked across the Channel for a key coaching appointment.

Georges Prost - another who has worked at Marseille - is currently the academy's technical director.