Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino has threatened to walk away from Southampton after just four months in the job if executive chairman Nicola Cortese leaves.

Cortese is believed to be considering his position at the Saints due to frustrations over the backing he receives from the owners for his plans to consolidate the club’s Premier League status.

And now Pochettino has claimed he will follow Cortese out the door if the Italian businessman walks.

Asked if he would be staying if Cortese left, the 41-year-old said: “Of course not, because the person that has put his faith in me in this club and as a manager is Nicola Cortese.

“Nicola Cortese has basically been the reality at Southampton for the past four years.

“Of course, the people that are in the club, that are part of the club, that are behind the scenes in the club were a little bit worried about what has been said.

“Me on a personal sense, I would not understand a Southampton without Nicola being here.

“When I first arrived here, nobody knew who Mauricio Pochettino was. Nicola put his faith in me and knew me from way, way back.

“When I got to know his project, we were basically on the same wavelength as to what we wanted for Southampton in the future.

“Basically, my future in Southampton has to be with Nicola.”

Cortese was behind Southampton’s rise from League One to the Premier League in successive seasons under Pochettino’s predecessor Nigel Adkins.

Southampton initially struggled in the top flight but were outside the relegation zone when Pochettino replaced Adkins in January and the Argentine has since ensured their survival.

A source close to Cortese, who has overseen Saints’ rise from League One to the top flight, says he will make a decision on whether to remain as chairman within the next month.

It is understood Cortese’s current frustration centres on those in charge of the trust knowing little about football and not committing themselves to his plans.

Cortese has told the trust he wants to take Southampton to the next level and wants them to support his strategy for doing so, including committing itself to some modest investment.

The executive chairman believes he has handled the club well and his decision, controversial at the time, to replace Nigel Adkins with Pochettino four months ago has paid off with the Saints having secured Premier League status for next season.

Cortese was instrumental in the purchase of Southampton in 2009 by Swiss businessman Markus Liebherr, who died suddenly the following year.