Former Newcastle United and Leeds bosses ‘among favourites’ to replace Premier League manager

Benitez has been out of work since being sacked by Everton at the start of 2022.

Leicester have experienced a dismal start to the 2022-23 campaign under Rodgers with just one point from their opening seven matches. The Foxes’ 22 goals conceded has also set a Premier League record for the worst defensive record after seven games.

Until this season, Rodgers had enjoyed a fairly successful spell at Leicester having led the club to back-to-back fifth place finishes and its first ever FA Cup triumph in 2021.

But a lack of investment and a poor start to the season has led to speculation that the Northern Irishman could soon follow Scott Parker and Thomas Tuchel and become the next Premier League manager to be sacked this season.

And there are plenty of available managers, including Benitez, that could potentially replace Rodgers at the King Power Stadium.

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Who is the favourite to become next Leicester City manager? 

Former Burnley boss Sean Dyche is the current favourite at 5/2 with Paddy Power.

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is priced at 9/2 with Benitez the third favourite at 6/1.

Marcelo Bielsa is available at 17/2 after being sacked by Leeds United last season while Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rounds off the top five favourites at 16-1.

Norwich City boss Dean Smith is the favourite of any manager currently at a club. It also means five of the top six favourites (excluding Pochettino) were managers to be sacked by Premier League clubs last season.

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Would Rafa Benitez be a good fit at Leicester? 

As it stands, Rodgers remains the Leicester manager but Benitez is reportedly understood to be interested in a return to Premier League management once again.

Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has even suggested the 62-year-old has already applied for the currently occupied position.

The Spaniard’s previous managerial stint at Everton was a disaster for the most part, but his spell at Newcastle prior to that is looked on favourably by many.

The Magpies were viewed as a limited but defensively sound team under Benitez. And with Leicester’s defensive problems evident, he could be seen as an ideal fit.