How this summer could be football’s greatest managerial merry-go-round in recent history with top bosses lying in wait
IT won’t just be players on the move this summer.
With at least three of the biggest jobs in world football ALREADY available – and plenty more likely to come up for grabs – this could be the greatest managerial merry go round in recent history.
Sun Sport looks at the clubs who could have a new man at the helm by August – and the likely runners and riders.
LIVERPOOL
Jurgen Klopp’s pre-announcement of his intention to leave Anfield at the end of the season set the hares running.
No wonder that former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso – on course to guide Bayer Leverkusen to the first Bundesliga triumph in their history – was the initial favourite.
Alonso would tick the emotional boxes as well. But the Spaniard knows he is a man in demand – in England, Germany and his home country.
The one-time Real Madrid star can have his pick of the available jobs and if he opts not to go to Liverpool, where would the Reds turn?
Julian Nagelsmann’s short-term contract with Germany is up after Euro 2024 and he is a live contender.
Klopp's managerial record
The story so far...
- Mainz (Feb ’01 – June ’08): P270 W109 D78 L83
- Borussia Dortmund (July ’08 – June ’15): P319 W180 D69 L70
- Liverpool (Oct ’15 – Present): P471 W287 D105 L79
So too is Brighton’s Roberto de Zerbi, although he has alienated a lot of Prem officials with his Seagulls touchline antics.
There has even been talk of self-confessed childhood Liverpool fan Ange Postecoglou – but it is unlikely the Aussie would really want to leave Spurs after 12 months and even more unlikely that Daniel Levy would not make any deal almost impossible.
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BARCELONA
When even a club legend like Xavi Hernandez feels he has to get out of the Nou Camp kitchen because he cannot take the heat any more, you do have to wonder if Barca are now a basket case.
Whoever comes in will have to deal with a cash crisis that could yet see the Catalan giants banned from the Champions League next season – Uefa are still refusing to allow Barca to count the sale of future media revenues in their FFP calculations.
Mikel Arteta emphatically denied suggestions that he was ready to leave Arsenal for his homeland. But, in the words of a famous ex-model: He would do, wouldn’t he?
Win the Prem – or the Champions League – with the Gunners and Arteta might feel he has accomplished all that is possible in N5.
However, Barca will also be looking at Alonso and De Zerbi, as well as former Bayern and Germany coach Hansi Flick.
And there is at least one, potentially two, Champions League winning managers who might fancy the challenge…
Xavi's managerial record
The story so far...
- Al Sadd (May ’19 – Nov ’21): P102 W67 D17 L18
- Barcelona (Nov ’21 – Present): P126 W78 D22 L26
BAYERN MUNICH
Yet another vacancy up for grabs with it being confirmed Thomas Tuchel will leave in the summer after a horrible run of form.
They trail Bayer Leverkusen by eight points in the league and find themselves 1-0 down to Lazio in their Champions League last 16 tie which was enough for the German giants to act.
Nagelsmann, booted out against his will last term, might be an outsider but you cannot imagine Bayern would not try to persuade Klopp back into club management despite his insistence that he needs a year off.
If they need a solution now, though, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is available at the drop of a hat and desperate to prove he is a better manager than he appeared at Manchester United.
But Bayern, of course, are best known for using their financial power to take away the best of their domestic rivals. And the best manager in the Bundesliga is clearly Alonso, a former Munich player.
Where does that leave Tuchel? Bruised, certainly. But not for too long. He would be a contender for both Liverpool and Barcelona. And perhaps elsewhere as well.
Tuchel's managerial record
The story so far...
- Mainz (Aug ’09 – May ’14): P184 W72 D46 L66
- Borussia Dortmund (June ’15 – May ’17): P107 W67 D23 L17
- PSG (May ’18 – Dec ’20): P127 W95 D13 L19
- Chelsea (Jan ’21 – Sep ’22): P100 W60 D24 L16
- Bayern Munich (Mar ’23 – Feb ’24): P44 W28 D5 L11
MANCHESTER UNITED
The post-Christmas resurgence has taken some of the pressure off Erik ten Hag and there is a chance the dutchman can convince United’s new owners that he is the right man for the long term.
But United still have to play City, Liverpool and Arsenal before the end of the season and those games could indicate the true strength of the current set-up.
If ten Hag is not the right fit, then it will be a real test of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s vision for the club.
Does he want an experienced man who could just be a short-term solution? Tuchel could be the answer.
But if the idea is a longer-term, “project” manager, then thoughts would turn to Nagelsmann, De Zerbi, Graham Potter or, especially if the Dan Ashworth issue can be resolved swiftly, Gareth Southgate.
Ten Hag's managerial record
The story so far...
- Go Ahead Eagles (July ’12 – June ’13): P39 W18 D11 L10
- Bayern Munich II (June ’13 – May ’15): P72 W48 D10 L14
- Utrecht (May ’15 – Dec ’17): P111 W56 D26 L29
- Ajax (Dec ’17 – May ’22): P215 W158 W28 L29
- Man Utd (May ’22 – Present): P97 W59 D12 L26
NEWCASTLE
There is no current threat facing Eddie Howe, even if some Toon fans are a bit frustrated by events.
But if Southgate decides to walk after the Euros, the Newcastle boss would be the red-hot favourite to replace him as England manager, leaving a void.
The suspicion remains that Newcastle’s Saudi owners will want a big name.
They already have Roberto Mancini on their books in his role as coach of the Saudi national team.
But working for a club with the potential to spend on short-term, experienced, “winning” players would be right up Jose Mourinho’s street.
The Special One would love to talk about being at a “special club”.
Potter, though, has a point to prove and would see Newcastle as the perfect vehicle.
Howe's managerial record
The story so far...
- Bournemouth (Dec ’08 – Jan ’11): P102 W51 D18 L33
- Burnley (Jan ’11 – Oct ’12): P87 W34 D19 L34
- Bournemouth (Oct ’12 – Aug ’20): P356 W143 D77 L136
- Newcastle (Nov ’21 – Present): P110 W53 D27 L30
BRIGHTON
De Zerbi is ambitious, make no mistake about it.
Brighton has been a brilliant move for him but he is not wedded to the south coast and you suspect Tony Bloom has already done plenty of succession planning.
It’s hard to believe that Potter could go back after the way he left – and many Seagulls fans swiftly reappraised his reign and suggested it was too cautious.
But Steve Cooper is available after being jettisoned by Nottingham Forest and he is exactly the right sort of fit for Brighton.
De Zerbi's managerial record
The story so far...
- Darfo Boario (Nov ’13 – June ’14): P22 W5 D5 L12
- Foggia (July ’14 – Aug ’16): P91 W47 D25 L19
- Palermo (Sep ’16 – Nov ’16): P13 W1 D3 L9
- Benevento (Oct ’17 – June ’18): P29 W6 D3 L20
- Sassuolo (July ’18 – May ’21): P120 W43 D36 L41
- Shakhtar Donetsk (May ’21 – July ’22): P30 W20 D5 L5
- Brighton (Sep ’22 – Present): P73 W35 D18 L20