Leeds United is reportedly preparing to make an offer to former Leicester City and Liverpool Manager, Brendan Rodgers if they get relegated from the Premier League this season. The Whites currently find themselves in second from bottom place in the top-flight table, two points away from 17th placed Everton which has put the club’s future in the Premier League in doubt.
The club’s current woes have seen them have three managers this season, with ex-England boss Sam Allardyce appointed to replace Javi Garcia, who had only taken over from Jesse Marsch earlier this year. Allardyce came in on a short-term deal, but there are no provisions for him to remain with the club beyond the end of the season.
Rodgers’ appointment as the team’s manager would not come as a surprise to those familiar with the 50-year old’s credentials. He has led both Swansea City and Celtic to promotion and won two Scottish Premiership titles. With Liverpool, he nearly delivered the club’s first Premier League title in 2014, but the team was beaten to the top spot by Manchester City.
Rodgers, however, was criticized by some fans for not achieving a top-four finish with Leicester City. During his time at the East Midlands club between February 2019 and April 2022, he led the team to back-to-back fifth-placed finishes and FA Cup glory in 2021.
Rodgers’ pedigree in the Championship could prove essential in revitalizing Leeds’s fortunes in the competition, as he led Swansea City to Premier League promotion through the playoffs in 2011. However, his appointment is likely to be put to stiff competition with the club also reportedly interested in Graham Potter, who was recently released by Chelsea.
Potter, who was surprisingly sacked by Chelsea earlier this month, has also thrived in his previous roles, leading Brighton & Hove Albion to a league finish of ninth place last season. Potter is highly regarded in the Premier League, and his appointment is also expected to boost Leeds’s fortunes in an event they survive relegation this season.
The final round of matches for the 2021-2022 Premier League season is scheduled for Sunday, with big games set to take place across the board. Leeds United will hope that the outcome of their game against Tottenham and Everton’s fixture against Bournemouth will play in their favor as they look to secure another season in football’s top-flight competition.
