Jim Hone has revealed that one of his first jobs as Saints chief executive will be to discover whether Malcolm Elias was tapped up by Liverpool.

Hone begins his new role at St Mary's today, intending to find out whether head of recruitment Elias was the subject of an illegal approach by the Anfield giants prior to joining Liverpool in a similar capacity last week.

On leaving Saints last week, Elias told the Daily Echo: "The current uncertainty has had something to do with my decision." He also accused Michael Wilde of being "uninterested" in the academy.

Hone has reacted to Elias's remarks by vowing to investigate fully the Welshman's move to Anfield after seven years with Saints.

He said: "To use as an excuse the instability caused by potential change at the club was laughable.

"There would clearly have been a financial incentive to go to a bigger club like Liverpool and, if Mr Elias didn't leave with the permission of Southampton, we have to ask whether he was tapped up."

Saints' new academy signings - see tomorrow's Daily Echo