Southampton have opened contract talks with Tonda Eckert as they look to keep the head coach at St Mary’s beyond the summer of 2027, when his current deal expires.

The discussions come amid reports that clubs in the Premier League and Serie A clubs are monitoring the 33-year-old. Sky Sport Austria reports that interest in Eckert has grown following his work at Southampton, although it has not named any interested clubs.

Southampton wants to keep Eckert, but group technical director Johannes Spors has made it clear that the club will not rush into an agreement. Both sides are positive about a new deal, with talks already underway.

Southampton open contract talks with Tonda Eckert

Southampton's sporting director Johannes Spors confirmed the talks in an interview with the Daily Echo, saying the club remained confident about Eckert’s future despite interest from elsewhere.

"It is in discussion, yes," he said.

He also stressed that Southampton was taking their time and they were not rushing to reach an agreement.

"We are not in a rush. We take this step by step. We started, and we will continue to talk about this in a very positive way."

Eckert became Southampton’s permanent head coach in December 2025 after taking interim charge the previous month. He signed a contract until 2027, leaving the club with less than a year to agree an extension.

His record has given Southampton further reason to keep him. According to figures published by Sport Witness, Eckert has recorded 29 wins, 12 draws and eight defeats in 49 matches. Southampton have also scored 92 goals under his management.

Southampton currently sit sixth in the Championship with 20 points from 12 matches, three points behind second-placed Swansea City. Their position is notable given the four-point deduction they received following the Spygate case.

Premier League and Serie A clubs reportedly interested in Tonda Eckert

Sky Sport Austria reports that several Premier League and Serie A clubs are interested in Eckert. He previously worked as an assistant at Genoa, which could explain some of the reported interest from Italy, although no club has publicly confirmed an approach.

Southampton will want to keep a coach who has helped them remain in the promotion race. The club reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 2025-26, while Eckert has helped rebuild momentum in the Championship after a difficult period.

His future also came under scrutiny earlier this month when the Football Association announced its punishment over Southampton’s unauthorised observation of rival training sessions.

On 7 October, an independent FA Regulatory Commission imposed a six-week suspension from all football-related activity, suspended until the end of the 2027-28 season, alongside a £28,000 fine and a reprimand.

Eckert admitted three breaches of FA Rule E3.1 relating to the observation of training sessions belonging to Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough.

The suspended ban allows him to continue managing Southampton unless he breaches the conditions attached to the sanction. The club has continued to back him, and Spors’s comments suggest that their relationship remains strong.

Southampton now wants to turn that backing into a longer contract. Talks are ongoing, and with his current deal set to expire in 2027, the club will want to reach an agreement before interest elsewhere grows further.