Manchester United have an uncertain couple of weeks ahead of them, after Ruben Amorim was dismissed from his manager position at Old Trafford.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe was a huge advocate for handing the 40-year-old an extended period to turn things around in Manchester, but a breakdown in the relationship has brought any plans to an abrupt end.

It’s been reported that Jason Wilcox suffered a breakdown in his relationship with the former Portuguese international, with his sacking confirmed early on Monday morning.

Darren Fletcher has already been installed as a temporary replacement whilst INEOS work tirelessly to identify a long-term replacement for the outgoing Amorim.

It remains to be seen who could take the reins in the near future, but numerous names have already emerged on their shortlist in recent hours after the announcement.

Man Utd want to appoint former PL boss to replace Amorim

Over the last couple of hours, a whole host of managers have been touted with a move to join United – whether that be as a long-term or short-term appointment.

Former temporary boss Michael Carrick is just one name that has been mentioned after previously managing three first-team matches at the end of 2021.

Other managers, such as Oliver Glasner, Kieran McKenna and Gareth Southgate, have all been named as potential options in the hunt to replace Amorim.

However, the quartet aren’t the only options currently in INEOS’ sights, with Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi another option being considered by the hierarchy.

According to the Telegraph, support is growing behind the scenes for the Italian boss who was previously interviewed for the role back in 2024 before Amorim’s arrival.

It also states that the 46-year-old, who’s achieved a 58% win record in France, would offer a Premier League proven option after managing Brighton and Hove Albion.

Why De Zerbi would be the perfect Amorim upgrade

Back in November 2024, the appointment of Amorim by the United board was seen as an exciting one after winning the Liga Portugal title twice with Sporting CP.

However, as seen by the 15th-placed finish in England’s top-flight last campaign, his spell in charge of the Red Devils was nothing short of a disaster.

From the terrible league finish, to a second-round Carabao Cup exit to League Two outfit Grimsby Town – it truly was a period to forget for the United fanbase.

The 40-year-old was only able to achieve a 40% win record across all competitions, subsequently winning just 25 matches out of the 63 outings he led in Manchester.

Such numbers, coupled with his breakdown in a relationship with Wilcox and Co, no doubt contributed to his demise and ultimately, dismissal from his position.

However, as previously mentioned, the hierarchy have wasted no time in identifying replacements, with De Zerbi potentially being an excellent option for the Red Devils.

Whilst any deal would require a compensation package, it could be a move that would see the club land a huge upgrade on Amorim – as seen by their respective Premier League stats.

When comparing their figures, the Italian has dominated Amorim in countless areas, all whilst doing so at Brighton – a club with much lower funds than the Red Devils.

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The Italian, who’s been dubbed a “genius” by Statman Dave, has achieved a better points per game record in England’s top-flight, whilst also achieving a better win percentage.

How De Zerbi & Amorim compare in the PL

Statistics

De Zerbi

Amorim

Games managed

70

47

Wins

26

15

Draws

19

13

Losses

25

19

Goals scored

116

66

Goals against

110

72

Points per game

1.39

1.23

Stats via Transfermarkt

Such figures reflect his incredible ability to make his sides hard to beat, which is something that has been far too easy for opposition sides making the trip to Old Trafford.

He’s also conceded fewer goals per game, whilst also scoring more, showcasing the impact he’s able to have on his sides at either end of the pitch in the Premier League.

De Zerbi has also achieved a higher finish come the end of a season compared to the former Red Devils boss, with his record deserving of a chance to thrive in Manchester.

It’s unclear if De Zerbi himself would be open to the role at present, but it’s clear he has all the tools needed to bring the glory days back to the Theatre of Dreams.

He would no doubt be an upgrade on Amorim based on their respective spells in England, with the next appointment massive if the club are to be a dominant force once again.

Related Mainoo will love him: INEOS considering re-hiring 4-2-3-1 manager at Man Utd

Manchrester United have a huge task on their hands to replace Ruben Amorim after his sacking.

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It will be interesting to see what Liverpool and Arne Slot decide to do in the January transfer window, and what they decide to leave until the summer window.

The markets that the Reds shop in will also be interesting because they have had struggles with their domestic and international signings from the summer transfer window.

Florian Wirtz has scored one Premier League goal since his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen, whilst Alexander Isak’s two-goal haul in the top-flight after a £125m transfer from Newcastle United shows that there are no guarantees in football.

Their respective struggles, though, should not deter FSG from pursuing big-money signings from domestic or international markets, as every case should be treated individually.

Liverpool plot summer move for Premier League star

The Reds have not been put off by the lack of output from their big-money signings, because they are already looking at a summer move for a star who could cost a similar amount of money.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are plotting a summer swoop to sign central midfielder Adam Wharton from Premier League rivals Crystal Palace.

In a piece on what the Reds may do in the current window, the report explains that they could wait until the summer to pursue a deal for the England international to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

It was reported ahead of the 2025/26 campaign that the Eagles value Wharton at a fee of up to £100m, and it remains to be seen if their valuation has changed in the subsequent six months that have passed.

Why Liverpool should sign Adam Wharton

The Reds should push to win the race for the central midfielder’s signature in the summer transfer window later this year because he has the potential to be the club’s next Jordan Henderson.

Liverpool signed Henderson from Sunderland as a 20-year-old, for £20m, in 2011 to bolster Kenny Dalglish’s midfield, in what was far from a high-profile addition, as he joined from a midtable side rather than as a star from another huge European or English outfit.

The central midfielder, though, went on to captain the club to a Premier League title and a Champions League trophy during his time at Anfield, making 492 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Henderson was an ever-reliable deep-lying midfielder who offered consistency, quality, and leadership skills, which is why he had the success and longevity that he had.

Wharton has the potential to offer a similar presence in the middle of the park as a star who loves to pick up the ball and play forward passes to his teammates, whilst also being combative and aggressive out of possession.

As you can see in the chart above, Wharton’s form this season is fairly comparable to Henderson’s last Premier League campaign with Liverpool, as they excel in similar areas.

One thing that really stands out is that they both rank incredibly highly for progressive passes per 90, which speaks to their ability to punch passes into the front players to allow the exciting attackers to get the ball as quickly as possible, and in advanced positions.

Highest xA in the 25/26 PL

Player

xA

Rayan Cherki

4.4

Bruno Fernandes

4.1

Bukayo Saka

4.0

Jeremy Doku

3.9

Pedro Neto

3.9

Adam Wharton

3.5

Bryan Mbeumo

3.5

Declan Rice

3.4

Jack Grealish

3.3

Enzo Fernandez

3.2

Stats via FotMob

Wharton, as shown in the table above, has also been one of the most creative players in any position in the Premier League so far this season, ranking sixth for xA created.

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Bruno Fernandes, who is a natural attacking midfielder, is the only central midfielder who ranks above him in that statistic, which speaks to the immense creative quality that the Palace star can provide in the middle of the park.

Wharton was dubbed “the best U21 player in the Prem” back in October by one analyst, and it is hard to argue with that assessment, given that the 21-year-old star is also the youngest player on that list of creative stars.

On top of his creativity, the midfielder also averages 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game in the top-flight this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he can offer quality in and out of possession, as Henderson did.

Such has been the quality of his performances in the Premier League, Everton’s Jack Grealish went out of his way to stae that Wharton was the best player on the pitch in their clash with Palace in October, showing how highly he is rated by his peers.

Related In the coming days: Liverpool set to seal better move than Semenyo for £43m

Liverpool are reportedly set to sign a star who could be an even better addition than Antoine Semenyo.

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Therefore, Wharton could arrive at Anfield in the summer as their next Henderson in the making, as another English midfielder signed from a midtable Premier League club at a young age, with the potential to be an immense deep-lying midfield star for many years to come.

Leeds United have been credited with an interest in Paulo Fonseca as a possible replacement for Marcelo Bielsa, according to Gianluigi Longari.

The Lowdown: Fonseca profiled

Fonseca has been without a club since last summer after leaving Roma. He has been linked with moves to Crystal Palace and Tottenham during that time, with the 48-year-old described as ‘similar’ to Thomas Tuchel by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The Portuguese coach likes to use a 3-4-2-1 system and has won nine major honours during his career with Braga, FC Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Latest: Leeds links

Longari took to Twitter late on Wednesday night following Leeds’ heavy 6-0 defeat to Liverpool. The journalist described Bielsa’s position at Elland Road as ‘complicated’ and name-checked Fonseca as a possible target for Andrea Radrizzani and co, stating:

“The position of Bielsa at Leeds is complicated after the hard knockout against Liverpool. Among the names evaluated if things precipitate there is also Fonseca.”

The Verdict: Stick with Bielsa

Bielsa knows this Leeds squad like the back of his hand, so making a change in the dugout with just 13 games left in the season could be extremely risky.

Their recent run of marches was always going to be tricky, and looking at Bielsa’s squad, you could say that he is actually doing a good job with the resources available to him. However, making Leeds harder to break down appears to be a necessity as we enter the crunch stage of the season.

He has been without captain Liam Cooper, star midfielder Kalvin Phillips and last season’s top scorer Patrick Bamford in recent months, and getting those three back fit may well be crucial to the club’s hopes of top-flight survival.

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March looks set to be a key month for the Whites and there’s no guarantee that Fonseca would turn things around straight away, so we believe the board should stick with Bielsa until the end of the season at least.

In other news: ‘Exciting’ Leeds attacker now set for March return after months out as reporter relays news

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford should be back in action against Aston Villa on Thursday. 

The lowdown

The 28-year-old hasn’t played for the Whites since the 2-2 draw with Brentford on 5 December. In fact, he has only made six Premier League appearances (totalling 459 minutes) this season owing to ankle and hamstring injuries.

He was back on the bench for Jesse Marsch’s first game in charge on Saturday afternoon against Leicester City, but the American decided against bringing him on even with his team 1-0 down.

The Villa game at Elland Road looks crucial for Leeds, who are hovering only two points above the relegation zone and have played a game more than 18th-placed Burnley.

The latest

The Athletic’s Leeds correspondent Phil Hay relayed an update from Marsch’s post-match press conference on Twitter.

As per the journalist’s update, the manager apparently ‘expects Bamford to be involved against Villa on Thursday’.

The verdict

This is an almighty boost for Marsch and Leeds.

Bamford demonstrated his value to the team last season, top-scoring for the Whites with 17 goals and also contributing eight assists.

In his absence, you could argue that Leeds are short of match-winners. Indeed, even though he has played so little football, only three players in the squad – Raphinha, Jack Harrison and Dan James – have racked up more goal involvements in 2021/22 (via BBC Sport).

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Therefore, it’s little wonder that the 28-year-old has been labelled a ‘massive’ player by former Elland Road goalkeeper Paul Robinson; and with Kalvin Phillips potentially returning next weekend, the fitness outlook may now be getting brighter for Leeds – and in good time, too.

In other news, read this injury expert’s claim on Liam Cooper

West Brom’s new manager Steve Bruce managed to finally pick up his first Championship win in charge of the Baggies in their 2-0 win over his former club Hull City at the weekend.

This evening sees the former Newcastle United boss get the chance to secure a second victory in a row as the Midlands club welcome Huddersfield Town to the Hawthorns in their latest league outing.

On the chalkboard

One figure that started in the win over Hull that should not be in the team on this occasion is striker Callum Robinson.

With 82 minutes under his belt against the Tigers before being replaced by Grady Diangana, the Irishman failed to register even one shot at goal, as well as complete just 14 of the 20 passes he attempted, showing that he didn’t have much of an impact on the game.

Even from a defensive point of view, things weren’t great for the 27-year-old as he lost six of the eight duels he was involved in and got dribbled past on two occasions with no tackles or interceptions made.

This lacklustre display ultimately earned him an underwhelming overall match rating of 6.6, making him the second-lowest rated Baggies player that started the match according to SofaScore.

With this in mind, it doesn’t seem that this performance would have persuaded Bruce into giving him another start for tonight and risk holding the team back again.

In terms of the entire season, the £18k-per-week attacker has failed to deliver a goal contribution for his team in the past eight league appearances he’s made for them, showing that he hasn’t been the most reliable or consistent player when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net or setting up his teammates.

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Having been slammed for his “appalling” decision to not get vaccinated during the recent global pandemic by Danny Mills, Robinson could be better off starting this match on the bench and being brought on as a substitute should the manager need him at any point rather than have him be a passenger again.

In other news: Cost £15m, now worth £4.5m: West Brom had a nightmare over £16k-p/w “disgrace” – opinion

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has revealed the latest information regarding the fitness of midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, who has been out since December.

What’s the latest?

According to the Villa boss, the 28-year-old still isn’t training with the first team but is scheduled to return to full training after the upcoming international break.

The 41-year-old said: “Marvelous Nakamba will be in full training for us after the international break, which is positive. He’s not too far away and he’ll do certain sessions with our Under-23 group next week.

“We’ll integrate him into the first-team set-up. That’s good news for us.”

The Zimbabwean hasn’t played since the mid-December defeat at Liverpool, when he sustained the knee injury which has kept him out of action for three months and counting.

Villa supporters will be gutted

While the news that Nakamba is nearing a return is welcome, Villa supporters must be desperate to have the midfielder back in action as soon as possible.

After an impressive three-game winning streak, Gerrard’s side were beaten 2-1 at West Ham last Saturday, a result which highlighted the need for an alternative in midfield, and next up is another massive test as the Villans host Arsenal in today’s lunchtime kick-off.

The preferred midfield trio of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey has been a treat to watch at times, although the Villa faithful will be keen to have another option in case of injury or suspension to one of the favoured three.

Prior to his injury, Nakamba started all of Gerrard’s first five matches in charge, which highlighted him as one of the Englishman’s favourites, and his return to action will be very welcome.

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The defensive midfielder had been averaging two tackles, one clearance and 0.8 interceptions per game prior to his convalescence, highlighting why Villa fans will surely be delighted to have him back in contention in a couple of weeks’ time.

Still, Gerrard could certainly have done with the Zimbabwean today, especially with the Midlanders coming up against an Arsenal side whose five-game winning run was only ended by a title-chasing Liverpool in a tightly-contested clash in midweek.

In other news: Aston Villa dealt another injury setback which will have many supporters sweating

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Pete O’Rourke has made an Erling Haaland claim which he says will excite Manchester City supporters.

The Lowdown: Haaland developments surface…

Over the last week, it has been no secret that Pep Guardiola’s interest in the Borussia Dortmund talisman has seriously accelerated.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-developments-2/” title=”Man City latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Daily Mail’s report of a deal already being in place has been swiftly followed by a wave of different rumours, including some from very reliable sources. The Times reported that Dortmund expect Txiki Begiristain and co to seal a deal for Haaland as the Sky Blues sporting director personally holds talks with his representatives.

It is even said that City officials have offered the 21-year-old a salary package which would make him the highest-paid player in the English top flight.

The Latest: O’Rourke makes Haaland claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that City supporters will be ‘rubbing their hands’ with the ’emerging’ news that the Premier League champions ae in pole position to sign Haaland this summer.

The journalist explained: “Man City fans will be rubbing their hands with glee with the news that they’re emerging as favourites for Haaland.”

The Verdict: Promising development…

Haaland is, by some way, City’s best option to finally add a world-class centre-forward to their ranks, especially going by his age and his phenomenal goalscoring record over the last two seasons.

Since injury worries started to plague club legend Sergio Aguero before his Eastlands goodbye, Guardiola has done well to utilise the array of attacking midfield talent at his disposal in a false-nine system.

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This formation tweak has yielded phenomenal results on the pitch, with City winning the Premier League and Carabao Cup and reaching their first-ever Champions League final last year. Guardiola’s men are once again in the title mix this season, amid heavy competition from Liverpool.

However, as the club aim to dominate England’s top flight for years to come, signing Haaland would undoubtedly boost City as they reportedly edge nearer to landing one of Europe’s most talked-about stars.

In other news: Man City also emerge as main contenders to sign ‘big name’ player, he really wants to join! Find out more here

Crystal Palace and Southampton are both eyeing moves for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks, according to The Daily Star.

The Lowdown: Winks’ lack of game-time

The 26-year-old has struggled to become a regular for Spurs this season, starting just nine Premier League games.

He has regularly featured in cup competitions but doesn’t appear to be in Antonio Conte’s first-choice XI, playing just two league minutes in Tottenham’s last four games.

Winks is out of contract in 2024, and it seems as if a move across London could well be on the cards this summer.

The Latest: Palace keen on Winks

The Daily Star shared a story regarding Winks on Saturday evening, revealing that both Palace and Southampton are keen on a move for the 26-year-old.

Spurs will reportedly listen to sensible offers for the midfielder over the coming months, with the player not featuring in Conte’s long-term plans.

The Verdict: Smart target?

Even though Winks has fallen out of favour in north London, he could still be a shrewd signing by Patrick Vieira for Palace. The England international has been labelled by Paul Robinson as ‘one of the best’ who ‘dominates the game’, and he has a wealth of Premier League experience.

You could argue that he should be in the prime of his career at the age of 26, and with a Transfermarkt valuation of £15.3m, a move could be one to keep an eye on for Eagles fans over the coming months.

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Vieira also has just five defensive and central midfielders on the books on a permanent basis, two of whom are out of contract over the next few months, so that could be in Palace’s thinking when it comes to their interest in Winks.

In other news: ‘Appalling…’ – Matt Woosnam fumes as off-field news involving Crystal Palace is confirmed

When Leeds United travel to Selhurst Park later next month to take on Crystal Palace, there will be one player in the opposition ranks whom the club will wonder what could have been.

Michael Olise has been one of the shining lights for the Eagles this season in the Premier League as they continue to push up the table, but he could have been playing for the white of Leeds had the Yorkshire club acted on their interest.

Reports back in January 2021 suggested that then manager Marcelo Bielsa was very interested in landing the France U21 international, but a deal failed to materialise.

Then, according to TEAMtalk in the summer, Ligue 1 champions Lille put their name into the hat to take the teenager back to his native France, with the French side battling Leeds for his signature.

Of course in the end, it was fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace who won the race for him, and it’s been a debut campaign in the top-flight that has surely left Leeds thinking ‘what if’.

With seven goals and 12 assists, Olise was an absolute revelation in the Championship for Reading last term, and it’s no surprise that he has earned so many reviews for both his performances and incredible technical ability.

His Reading team-mate Sam Baldock said early last year: “Michael is a real talent, he’ll get on the ball in any situation. He’s fearless, if you ask him today I’ll guarantee that he had no nerves. He’s a lively character and one who I’ve noticed a real change in the last couple of months.”

Hailed as “super talented” by Reading boss Veljko Paunović, Olise’s former Royals manager Jose Gomes added: “Michael is really special. He can see, even before receiving the ball, more options than regular players. His technical ability and speed, decision capacity is really, really good.”

Signed for just £8m by Palace and becoming Patrick Vieira’s first signing in charge at Selhurst Park, the young Frenchman has come on leaps and bounds under the Arsenal Invincible, now being valued at a hefty £25m by CIES.

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This campaign has seen him score four goals and provide an impressive nine assists in just 26 games across all competitions, including registering goal contributions against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League.

The 5 foot 9 star is really making Leeds pay for not taking the leap of faith last year.

AND in other news – Forget Joffy: Marsch can get Leeds rocking by finally unleashing “phenomenal” 20 y/o

Scottish champions Celtic ended last term under Brendan Rodgers having claimed a fourth Premiership title in succession, although four in a row has a very different connotation under the new Wilfried Nancy regime.

For the first time since the latter days of the great Jock Stein’s tenure back in 1978, the Hoops have lost four games on the trot, following another abject second-half display away at Tannadice on Wednesday evening.

It had initially looked like one-way traffic as the visitors deservedly took the lead through Daizen Maeda, albeit with a spate of squandered chances, namely from young Johnny Kenny, ultimately proving fatal heading into the second half.

Nancy’s system had caused all sorts of problems for a shaky Dundee United side before the break, although it wasn’t long before Jim Goodwin’s men had found their rhythm, brutally exposing the flaws in this new Celtic set-up to claim a first win since October.

Too many square pegs in round holes. Too many bizarre selection decisions. Nancy’s reign is only in its infancy, but might it already be time to wield the axe?

Why Celtic should already be searching for a Nancy replacement

Now, as has been seen in the past, a period of patience can lead to success later down the line, with Ange Postecoglou notably enduring a difficult beginning at Parkhead, having lost three away Premiership games in succession, prior to mounting a remarkable unbeaten run.

That being said, there is also a sense that it might be wise for Celtic to cut their losses before even further damage is done, with such a miserable run of form simply not acceptable for a club of their stature, even while considering the hospital pass that the Frenchman received regarding this recent run of fixtures.

Recent examples have highlighted how it is better to be ruthless than let a situation drag on, with Bayer Leverkusen having sacked Erik ten Hag after just two games earlier in the campaign, while even the aforementioned Postecoglou lasted just over a month at Nottingham Forest before being shown the door.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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Even if there is a willingness at boardroom level to allow Nancy the time to try and implement his radical changes, there is little evidence to suggest he can turn things around, nor is there any to suggest that Celtic should give him the freedom to spend in January.

This same group of players, it must be remembered, won five Premiership games out of five under interim boss Martin O’Neill, alongside reaching the League Cup final, with the only sour note coming away at FC Midtjylland under the 73-year-old.

Nancy, it would appear, has allowed this team to regress even further than it had even during Rodgers’ final days, with it difficult to comprehend decisions like deploying Luke McCowan at left-wing-back, or starting just a single recognised centre-back.

Do the Hoops consider turning to O’Neill again, or might another free agent coach be more appealing?

Celtic could hire a "better manager" than Rodgers to replace Nancy

As noted by journalist Graeme Bailey, Nancy is “already under pressure” following this disastrous start to life in Glasgow, with that scrutiny only heightened by the looming presence of O’Neill, who could quite easily return to the fold if required.

That said, even while that interim appointment proved fruitful in recent weeks, the treble-winning coach is nothing more than a short-term fit, with Celtic perhaps in need of slightly longer-term thinking.

O’Neill, of course, is a beloved figure at Parkhead, although the same is also true of Postecoglou, with the Aussie likely to represent the dream target, should he be tempted to make a return to Scottish football.

The ex-Forest and Tottenham Hotspur boss – who was among the list of candidates prior to Nancy’s appointment, according to reports – has had a rocky time of things of late, although it was only just over six months ago that he led the north London side to Europa League glory.

In his own view, he is a winner, with that knack for securing silverware having been so evident during his remarkable stint with the Hoops, securing five domestic trophies in just two seasons, while unleashing a brand of football that was a breath of fresh air in the Premiership.

Of course, there may be doubts over hiring another previously successful Celtic manager, after the chaos of Rodgers’ second stint, although journalist Hamish Carton believes he is a “better manager” than Rodgers.

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In 113 games in charge, the 60-year-old won 83 of those, while boasting a points per game ratio of 2.31.

Postecoglou’s Celtic Record

Stat

Record

Days in charge

750

Games

113

Wins

83

Draws

12

Losses

18

Players used

53

Points per game

2.31

Trophies won

5

Stats via Transfermarkt

In the case of Rodgers, the Northern Irishman recorded a points per game ratio of 2.24 in 169 games in his first stint, prior to registering 2.19 in 123 games in his most recent stint.

Postecoglou’s stint took the club to such highs, having simply blown teams away domestically, while enjoying a remarkable period of recruitment, with bargain deals for the likes of Maeda, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley.

In Nancy’s defence, he has inherited a far less successfully assembled squad, although there can be no excuses amid such a woeful beginning to his time in the dugout.

Change, however brutal it might be, needs to be made, with Postecoglou surely a more than worthy replacement.

Related He was as bad as Kenny: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost 100% duels

Wilfried Nancy must drop this Celtic flop who was as bad as Johnny Kenny and Daizen Maeda.

Posts ByDan Emery