Five managers who could replace Jesse Marsch at Leeds

• Leeds United announced on Monday that they had parted ways with manager Jesse Marsch after a run of two wins in the Premier League since August
• Leeds have gone seven Premier League games without a win and are now 17th on the table, above the relegation zone on goal difference
• Mauricio Pochettino is one of the managers who are without a club and could replace Jesse Marsch at Leeds United

Leeds United announced on Monday that they had parted ways with manager Jesse Marsch after a run of two wins in the Premier League since August. And the question now is, who is Leeds United’s next manager? 

According to BBC Sports, a number of names have been linked with the job, but regardless of who Leeds appoints, there is a big task ahead. Leeds have gone seven Premier League games without a win and are now 17th on the table, above the relegation zone on goal difference.

Jesse Marsch. Photo/ Sky Sports.

As Leeds looks to make a permanent appointment shortly, here are top five managers who could take the steering wheel next.  

1. Rafael Benitez 

Rafael Benitez is undoubtedly one of the most experienced managers in the game, which means he could be a perfect replacement for Jesse Marsch. The 62-year-old has been without a club since leaving Everton last year. 

Rafael Benitez is well-versed with the English Premier League, having coached teams such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United. He has also coached other top teams such as Napoli, Valencia, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. 

Some of Rafa’s achievements with English teams include winning the 2005 Champions League with Liverpool and the 2013 Europa League with Chelsea. 

2. Marcelo Bielsa

Marcelo Bielsa. Photo/ Sporting News.

Marcelo Bielsa is the man Jesse Marsch replaced at Leeds United. But it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Leeds appoint him as their next manager, considering he is keen to get back into management. 

Bielsa would know most of Leeds’ squad, and according to BBC Sports, it seems many fans would welcome him back. The 67-year-old got Leeds United promoted to the Premier League and kept them up there until his sacking last season. 

Marcelo Bielsa has previously managed the Argentine national team and several clubs, including Lazio, Lille and Marseille. 

3. Mauricio Pochettino 

Mauricio Pochettino is one of the managers who are without a club. The 50-year-old is familiar with the English top flight, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Leeds decide to approach him. 

Pochettino led Southampton to an eighth-placed finish in his first full season in charge before joining Tottenham Hotspur. The Argentine never won a title with Tottenham, but he guided them to a runner-up position at the 2014-15 Football League Cup and the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League. 

Mauricio Pochettino was replaced by Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur, and he joined Paris Saint-Germain where he coached for one season. 

4. Nuno Espirito Santo

Nuno Santo Espirito is the current manager of Al-Ittihad FC. Photo/ Foot Mercato.

Nuno Espirito Santo had a great time with the Premier League club Wolves. He guided the team to promotion from the Championship in his first full season in charge and then led the club to seven-placed finishes. 

Nuno Espirito guided Wolves to qualify for Europe for the first time since the 1980-81 season. The Premier League team reached the quarter-final of the Europa League in 2020, but Nuno left at the end of the season by mutual consent. 

The Portuguese manager joined Tottenham Hotspur, where an ill-fated 17-game followed. He was sacked by the club and is currently coaching Al-Ittihad. Leeds United would prefer signing Nuno as their next manager because of his four-year spell at Wolves.

5. Kjetil Knutsen

Kjetil Knutsen has reportedly been linked with several managerial jobs in England in recent seasons. The 54-year-old has done an impressive work at FK Bodo/Glimt, where he has been the manager since 2017. 

He led the team to their first league title in 2020 a successful defence campaign followed. He also led the club to an outstanding performance in the Europa League, where they thrashed Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma 6-1. 

Kjetil Knutsen was named Eliteserien Coach of the Year three consecutive times (2019, 2020 and 2021).

Kjetil Knutsen is one of the managers who could replace Jesse Marsch at Leeds United. Photo/ TEAMtalk.