Leeds United are reportedly keen on appointing recently-departed Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers if they are relegated.
The Whites have just one Premier League game left this season, and with it, they are likely to see their status as a top-flight club snatched away as they sit 19th at the moment.
Plans should already be in place for how the club look to tackle a return to the Championship, and it starts away from the playing squad – given the club need a managerial appointment as well as a new director of football.
Will Brendan Rodgers join Leeds?
In terms of manager links, Leeds have their eyes on a potentially ambitious agreement with The Athletic’s Phil Hay claiming that the club would be interested in appointing Brendan Rodgers:
“Should they go down, recently-sacked Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers is likely to come into the equation, at least in terms of the sort of coach they would want. Whether Rodgers is open to working in the EFL again, having led Swansea City up from it in 2011, is another matter altogether.”
The 50-year-old departed from Leicester City earlier in the season as the Foxes also look like getting relegated from the Premier League after some poor investment left Rodgers short of quality in multiple areas.
Would Leeds be making a good move here?
In terms of managers that Leeds could be looking for in the Championship, they aren’t going to find many of better calibre than Rodgers.
There are a lot of justified fears amongst fans about how the club will tackle relegation to the EFL, but if there’s any many that is capable of getting the best out of the players, providing there is good investment behind him with a decent director of football, Rodgers is the option.
Would Brendan Rodgers be a good appointment?
Yes
No
He is likely to command a significant wage, which might scare us off, but if he sees a viable project at Leeds that is worth sticking around for under new ownership, it’s mutually beneficial.
As for Rodgers, his style is one that could suit the Championship, being able to deviate between being possession-based and being more counter-attacking or pragmatic in his approach.
He clinched promotion with Swansea playing incredible football in 2010/11 which translated well into the Premier League, and his attacking style at Liverpool earned plaudits, before he achieved a lot at both Celtic and Leicester.
Ultimately, Rodgers wasn’t the main issue at the King Power, and their best times under him should prove Leeds would be getting a manager that is definitely better than the second tier.