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Ranking the five favourites to become the next Manchester United manager

Manchester United’s mixed start to the season has increased the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the Norwegian having been a regular target for the critics following some indifferent performances from his side.

Solskjaer is currently ranked third in the sack race amongst all Premier League managers, and a tough run of fixtures in October and November could decide his future.

United have failed to win in four of their past six fixtures across all competitions and with the pressure beginning to mount, plenty of fans are calling for Solskjaer’s three year reign to come to an end.

So for those of you interested in using top football betting apps in the UK, and possible bets on who will be the new manager, here are the five favorites to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United manager.

Zinedine Zidane – 10/1

Zinedine Zidane is amongst the most high-profile managers available at present, having decided to walk away from Real Madrid for a second time at the end of last season.

Zidane’s first spell at Real Madrid brought huge success for the Spanish giants, who became the first team to win consecutive Champions League trophies in the modern era, being crowned as European champions three seasons in succession between 2016 and 2018.

 

His first spell also saw Los Blancos win the La Liga title in 2016/17, before adding a second league winners’ medal in 2019/20 after returning for a second spell in the Bernabeu hotseat.

Zidane’s decision to leave for a second time came after admitting the club “no longer had faith” in his abilities, and he has since been replaced by Carlo Anceloti in the Spanish capital.

Having previously coached both Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane he could be interested in reuniting with the duo at Old Trafford, though is rumoured to have turned down 2018 interest from the Red Devils given his unfamiliarity with the Premier League.

Paris Saint-Germain and former club Juventus have also been linked.

Laurent Blanc – 10/1

Solskjaer’s appointment as manager was based on the Norwegian’s knowledge and understanding of the club, having formed part of the Red Devils’ successful dynasty under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Laurent Blanc – another former Manchester United player – has been priced at odds of 10/1, with the former France boss having been out of European football management since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2016.

Blanc’s first managerial venture saw him guide Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 title in 2008/09, spending three seasons with the club before taking charge of the French national side, reaching the quarter-finals at Euro 2012.

He joined PSG following the tournament and won three titles in four seasons in Paris, though spent three-and-a-half years out of management before taking charge of current club Al-Rayyan in December 2020.

Brendan Rodgers – 5/1

Brendan Rodgers is the third-favourite amongst the bookmakers to replace Solskjaer, having established himself as one of the Premier League’s best coaches at Leicester.

Rodgers’ previous links to Liverpool would make his appointment a controversial one, having come close to guiding the Merseyside club to the Premier League title during the 2013/14 season.

The Northern Irishman moved to Celtic following his sacking at Anfield and rebuilt his reputation north of the border, winning consecutive domestic trebles and becoming the first Scottish side to complete a top-flight season undefeated since 1899.

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He returned to the Premier League at Leicester in February 2019 and has since overseen the Foxes’ remarkable progress, securing consecutive fifth-place finishes and winning the FA Cup last season.

Leicester have made an indifferent start to the current campaign and Rodgers may feel he has taken the Foxes as far as he can, after agonisingly missing out on Champions League football in each of the past two seasons.

Mauricio Pochettino – 4/1

Mauricio Pochettino has been regularly linked with the managerial position at Manchester United in recent seasons, having won admirers during spells in the Premier League at Southampton and Tottenham.

The Argentine was surprisingly sacked by Spurs in 2019 just six months after guiding the north Londoners to the Champions League final, before returning to management at Paris Saint-Germain.

Pochettino failed to turn around the club’s fortunes as PSG missed out on the Ligue 1 title and Champions League last season, with the pressure having increased following a summer of recruitment that has included the arrival of Lionel Messi.

Pochettino has been a past target for the Red Devils’ hierarchy and will likely feature on the club’s shortlist once again should a decision be made to part with Solskjaer.

Antonio Conte – 2/1

Antonio Conte is the 2/1 favourite to succeed Solskjaer, with the former Chelsea manager a free agent after leaving Inter Milan during the summer.

Conte’s fiery persona would provide a different dynamic to the current manager, but the Italian is a proven winner after securing league titles at Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.

Last season the 52-year-old guided Inter to a drought-breaking Scudetto, ending Juventus’ nine-year stranglehold on Serie A to crown the Nerazzurri champions for the first time since 2010.

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He departed amid the club’s financial concerns and remains available, having seen talks with Tottenham fail to materialise in a move over the summer.

Conte’s odds to become the new manager of Newcastle have also tumbled in recent days, as the Magpies near a takeover that could transform their fortunes.

Read – Iconic Performances: Zlatan stuns England and turns his critics into believers

Read Also – Iconic Duos: Baby Aguero and peak Forlan ripping up La Liga for Atletico

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