Dan Petrescu is leaving Southampton to pursue his ambition to manage in his native country. The former Romanian defender has reached an amicable settlement with the Saints for the remaining year of his contract and is looking forward to the challenges ahead in management.
"It is an exciting challenge and opportunity for me. I have always wanted to go into management and now is the right time. I cannot say yet which club I will joining and whether it will be as a player or coach, or both. But it should be sorted out in the next few days and I am happy to be going home," said Petrescu.
Petrescu has spent the latter years of his career in England with a number of top clubs including Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City. However, the Romanian, who scored against England in the 1998 World Cup finals has found his chances of first team football limited at St Mary's.
He made just two appearances as a substitute last season and was unlikely to figure in Gordon Strachan's rebuilding plans. "We thank Dan very much for what he has done for us. He has been a model professional, but he was concerned he was not playing enough football," said Saints chairman Rupert Lowe.
Filed by James Shortt
