With the departure of Marti Cifuentes, yet another Leicester City vacancy opens up. Due to a possible points deduction, limited transfer funds and a divided squad, identifying a top-quality manager is going to be tough. With three of the last four managers underperforming, there is major pressure on the likes of Khun Top and Jon Rudkin in finding the next best option. In this, we will be using the SkyBet betting odds as of the time of writing and assessing each of the favourites to decide who is the best option to become City’s next boss.
Next Leicester Manager Betting Odds – The Favourites
Betting Favourite – Andy King
Due to his affinity with the fans and recent coaching experience at City, there’s little surprise that Andy King is a leading figure to take on the job. The Welshman came through the club’s academy before doing the unthinkable by winning League One, the Championship and the Premier League, the only player to do so with the same side.
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Following retirement, King returned to the team as a coach with the under-18s. Though this was short-lived, as Ruud Van Nistelrooy quickly promoted him to the first team coaching staff in December 2024. With the Dutchman’s departure in the summer, King even took charge of two pre-season games against Peterborough United and sister club OH Leuven. King is currently the caretaker manager of the Foxes and will be hoping to state his claim for the permanent gig.
Russell Martin
Russell Martin is a name no Leicester supporter wants to hear after the dreaded rumours in the summer. The 40-year-old is known for his attractive style of play and desire to dominate possession. This brand of football certainly divided the fanbase under Enzo Maresca, and with City’s dire situation, do they need a more pragmatic option?
Gary Rowett
Another former Leicester player, Gary Rowett, is also in the running. With a year-long stint at Oxford, Rowett boasts experience of fighting for survival, as he kept the U’s in the second tier with a 17th-place finish. Importantly, during this time, young centre-back Ben Nelson was on loan, which could bode well if he arrives, as he clearly understands the quality of the youngster.
Outside of his most recent job, the 51-year-old has taken the reins of several other Midlands clubs, including Birmingham City, Burton Albion and Derby County. Although he may be a good option to keep the team in the division, in the long term, it’s unlikely that he would be able to scale the side up to fight for promotion. In addition to this, going for a manager who was recently sacked for not being good enough for 23rd-place Oxford is anything but ambitious.
Gary O’Neil
One of the many names linked to the Leicester job back in the summer was Gary O’Neil. The former Wolves manager wasn’t an attractive option for many supporters, as many hoped for a more ambitious option, which, of course, didn’t go to plan. Despite the doubts, O’Neil has a fairly strong resume as he defied the odds by keeping Bournemouth and Wolves in the top flight.
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Despite this, a move for O’Neil seems incredibly unlikely now, as he recently made his move to France with Strasbourg. The project over there is much more promising as European football is on the table, and he has the luxury of coaching some of the best youth talents from Chelsea. In addition to not being able to entice O’Neil, it’s also unlikely Leicester will pay for compensation, as they have now let go of three managers in the last 13 months.
Lee Carsley
Unlike the rest of the options, Lee Carsley has been within the international setup for the last few years, as opposed to club football. Carsley’s eye for talent and achievements with England’s under-21 side haven’t gone under the radar, especially as his side won the European Championships in 2023. The development of young players didn’t stop here as he handed several players their England debuts, before departing for Thomas Tuchel.
Carsley would be a great fit for the job, especially if City are focusing on the long term. He has the potential at club level to keep on improving, and the ways he could develop Leicester’s academy talents like Louis Page and Jeremy Monga would be pivotal. However, it’s unlikely that the East Midlands outfit would be able to convince Carsley. The job brings an incredibly high risk, which may not be worth taking if better options are on the table. In addition to this, he also put pen to paper on a new deal last year, which saw him commit to England for another two years.
