Leicester in talks with candidates as Graham Potter tops their list

Leicester are locked in talks with candidates to replace Brendan Rodgers but top target Graham Potter wants a break until summer… with Rafa Benitez and Adi Hutter on the Foxes’ shortlist if they opt for an immediate appointment

  • Graham Potter remains Leicester’s top choice to succeed Brendan Rodgers
  • Potter may wait until the summer after being sacked by Chelsea on Sunday
  • Leicester could turn to a short-term candidate in their bid to avoid relegation 

Leicester have begun the process of identifying a successor to Brendan Rodgers and were locked in talks with candidates on Wednesday.

While the exercise is still at an early stage and interim bosses Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell will likely be in charge at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, Leicester know there is no time to waste with the club now firmly in the bottom three, two points adrift of safety.

The Foxes’ top target is Graham Potter but the former Chelsea boss is minded to wait until the summer before returning to the game following his sacking earlier this month.

Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha hopes Sadler and Stowell can lead the team to safety but after Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa, victory may be needed against Bournemouth on Saturday to ensure the hierarchy stick with that plan.

If it cannot be Sadler and Stowell, Leicester would look for a proven manager prepared to take the job on a short-term basis. Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez’s name has been proposed to Leicester while Adi Hutter, the former Borussia Monchengladbach coach, represents an intriguing option.

Graham Potter is Leicester’s top choice but may wait for the summer after his Chelsea sacking


Rafa Benitez, left, and Adi Hutter, right, are short term options under consideration for the role

Ralph Hasenhuttl remains out of work after being sacked by Southampton back in November

Ralph Hasenhuttl and Jesse Marsch have experience of successful survival battles with Southampton and Leeds respectively and both are out of work, though whether either would want to take the job on such a temporary basis is debatable.

Leicester are approaching the end of an era regardless of whether they stay in the Premier League. Eight players, including midfielder Youri Tielemans, are out of contract in the summer, while the club are braced for offers for James Maddison and possibly Harvey Barnes. Jamie Vardy is 36 and though there is still a year remaining on his contract, it is unlikely he will recover top form.

After Bournemouth, three of Leicester’s next four games are against teams also involved in the relegation scrap – Wolves, Leeds and Everton.

Source: Read Full Article