SAINTS boss Russell Martin said Jason Wilcox will go with "everyone's best wishes" amid talks of his departure to Manchester United.

The Red Devils have made an approach to name Wilcox their new technical director, offering Southampton a compensation fee equivalent to a year's salary.

Wilcox looks set to depart the club, but Saints are yet to give official confirmation.

Speaking on Friday, Martin said: “Being brutally honest, the people it affects the most are me and his coaching staff because he brought us into the club. I don’t think it’s affected the players.

“Jason is a great guy, I speak to him a lot. I have had the most conversations with him here. I don’t think it's affected the way we work or the results.

“It has not affected the process we are working on. But, of course, he is a good person and you never want to see good people walk out of the building.

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“I have nothing but good things to say about Jason. It has not been clarified what is happening because Phil (Parsons, CEO) and the ownership group have a job to protect our club as much as we can.

“Manchester United have a job to get the guy that they want. If it ends up happening then Jason goes with our best wishes. He has played such a big role in changing the culture here.

"What he does has enabled us to be the leaders we want to be. He has been so supportive. Hopefully, we did a good job for him.

"There is still a lot of stuff legally that needs to be worked through by both clubs. If he ends up going, which looks likely, I wish him nothing but the best.

"It’s Manchester United, he moved down here from there. I’m sure the relationship will continue beyond this. He is a good guy and we will see what happens.”