Premier League set for big managerial shake-up this summer with at least five clubs making a change in the dugout | Football News

Chelsea and Manchester United have already made big decisions over who will be in the dugout for them moving forward. Pep Guardiola has decided to leave Manchester City while there have been doubts around Liverpool boss Arne Slot this past season.

And that is not even the half of it. It is not often the Premier League approaches a summer with so much potential managerial change afoot. Here we analyse the situations of 13 clubs where there has been uncertainty around their head coach position.

Man City

Guardiola’s 10-year reign at Manchester City has ended, with Enzo Maresca set to be appointed his successor this summer.

The departing City boss’ future had been the subject of increasing speculation as the season drew to a close, and, in the end, it was announced ahead of the final game with the title already decided.

Chelsea were informed by Maresca last autumn that he had been the subject of interest from City about replacing Guardiola, whom he worked under as assistant coach in Manchester during the 2022/23 season.

Maresca, who left Chelsea in acrimonious circumstances in January, still had three-and-a-half years left on his Chelsea contract and club lawyers will be taking a keen interest in his next move, as compensation may well be due.

Man Utd

Manchester United put an end to the uncertainty around their head coaching position when they handed Michael Carrick a two-year contract ahead of their final game at Brighton.

Having arrived after the sacking of Ruben Amorim to steer them to the end of the season, Carrick made it impossible for United not to keep him as they qualified for the Champions League and clinched third with a game to spare.

Since taking over in January, Carrick won more points per game than any other Premier League manager (2.29) and picked up his 12th win in 17 games at Brighton on the final day.

United went through a robust and discreet process with other candidates, Sky Sports News understands, but technical director Jason Wilcox ultimately recommended Carrick for the job.

Liverpool

Slot is expected to continue as Liverpool head coach next season, Sky Sports News understands, after the club sealed Champions League qualification. 

However, there had been doubts throughout the campaign that that would be the case as they struggled to put up a proper Premier League title defence while trying to change playing style and embed more than £400m worth of new talent.

Ultimately finishing fifth off the back of a title-winning season and such a big spend has not gone down well with supporters – and performances have also come under scrutiny from players, including departing hero Mohamed Salah.

Even with Slot staying, it is expected to be a summer of big change at Anfield, with another crucial transfer market on the horizon and other players such as Andy Robertson set to leave.

Chelsea

Xabi Alonso has been chosen by Chelsea as the permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, who was sacked in April only three months after he took over from Maresca.

Alonso will start work on July 1 in time for pre-season and he is the Chelsea manager – not head coach – which is a change from his predecessors. This is in recognition of his experience, his track record, and because of the key role he will play in helping develop all aspects of the club.

Alonso will work extremely closely with the sporting directors and ownership group on recruitment, squad planning, performance and culture.

Although they also had interest in Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva, Chelsea ultimately decided on Alonso after being very impressed with his character, integrity, discipline, emotional intelligence and leadership qualities, as well as his CV.

Chelsea believe they have learned lessons from past mistakes. They recognise this season did not meet expectations or ambitions, and they want to accept responsibility. The ownership and leadership understand supporter frustration.

Newcastle

Eddie Howe insisted his commitment to Newcastle has never wavered after their disappointing season ended in defeat at Fulham and a bottom-half finish.

However, there has been an ongoing review of the campaign, which will continue into the summer. Howe was central to talks with the Saudi Arabian ownership about the future direction of the club when they visited Tyneside late last month.

After some “difficult questions” he said he felt the support from the ownership and was looking towards the summer when “recruitment becomes the big focus and making sure we get that right”.

As things stand, it looks as though Howe will continue, but he will want to avoid the problems of last summer, in which Alexander Isak’s future dominated until Deadline Day, and his replacements Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa failed to live up to expectations.

Bournemouth

Marco Rose will be Bournemouth’s new head coach next season, which seems odd to say after Iraola oversaw the club’s best season, finishing sixth and qualifying for the Europa League.

Iraola confirmed last month that he is leaving when his contract expires on June 30 and Bournemouth were swift to appoint Rose as his replacement. Iraola, oddly, remains without a new club for next season.

The Spaniard was of interest to Chelsea and Athletic Club – but both clubs have gone in different directions. He still has Crystal Palace as an option, but they believe he is destined for a bigger club.

And it emerged on Monday that AC Milan have approached Iraola’s representatives about becoming their head coach next season.

Fulham

Marco Silva will have talks with the Fulham hierarchy this week with his contract coming to an end on June 30.

Silva said after their final-day victory at home to Newcastle that he had not yet decided whether to stay – with a lucrative new contract still on the table – or move on.

He Benfica’s top target to replace Jose Mourinho back in his native Portugal, and has interest from at least one other club, having also been high on Chelsea’s list before they appointed Alonso.

Silva has established himself as one of the top coaches in the Premier League but is yet to be given his chance by a top club competing in European competition, despite being on the lists at Manchester United and Tottenham over the past few years.

Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace job is set to become vacant on July 1, with Oliver Glasner leaving when his contract expires.

Palace have whittled down their head coach shortlist to three viable contenders, with Iraola still the preferred option that they will not give up on until he has gone elsewhere. 

The identity of the other two remains unclear, as Palace have admiration for a string of other top coaches from their long list, including the likes of Lens head coach Pierre Sage, Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna and Coventry boss Frank Lampard.

Glasner, meanwhile, said on Sunday he has rejected “many offers” and that he is “not open for talks” until after the Conference League final.

Leeds

Daniel Farke has completed his task of keeping Leeds in the Premier League, smashing the target of a point per game out of the water by ending the season in 14th on 47 points.

The German has one year left on his contract and made it clear a few weeks ago that he wants Leeds’ owners, the 49ers, to match his ambition if he is to stay and sign a new deal.

Farke, who also said he does want to continue as manager, has now revealed that he and the ownership have begun to sit down and talk about the future.

“We’ve spoken very open, very honestly and in a trustful atmosphere,” he said. “We speak very open right now, very ambitiously, and with belief in each other. Once we have agreed something important for the future we’ll come out and speak about it.”

As things stand, there is no indication that those conversations will lead to a parting of ways. Farke’s comments, in which he left things open-ended around his future, come at a time when his contract is up for discussion.

West Ham

Nuno Espirito Santo and West Ham’s hierarchy were in talks on Monday regarding his future as head coach of the club following their relegation to the Championship.

West Ham can terminate his contract without compensation and Nuno is also able to walk away from his contract after the team failed to secure Premier League survival.

Talks were scheduled Monday morning and carried on into the afternoon, amid reports that the Portuguese would be dismissed and a new boss sought out, with Scott Parker and Gary O’Neil among those linked.

We are yet to hear the outcome of those discussions as the Hammers prepare for life again in the second tier.

Burnley

The Burnley job is currently vacant after Parker left the club with relegation to the Championship confirmed. Interim Mike Jackson oversaw the final four games without a win, Burnley finishing 19th thanks to a final-day draw against Wolves.

Craig Bellamy has been linked with the job but Sky Sports News understands he remains totally committed to Wales and leading them to Euro 2028. Steven Gerrard and Brian Barry-Murphy, who has just taken Cardiff up to the Championship, have also been linked.

Coventry

Coventry have no appetite for a change on the bench. Frank Lampard can do no wrong at the West Midlands club, having returned them to the Premier League as Championship winners.

The only way an issue emerges this summer is if a bigger club shows strong interest in Lampard and there is a decision to make. He has been on Crystal Palace’s long list, although they do not appear poised to make a move at this stage.

Ipswich

Like Coventry, Ipswich have their messiah in Kieran McKenna, who has taken them into the Premier League for a second time. He has a long contract there and is settled in Suffolk, ready to fight to keep them up this time around.

Like Lampard, only the interest of a bigger club might present a reason for McKenna to leave what he has built at Portman Road, and potentially complicate things there this summer.