The candidates to succeed Brendan Rodgers as Leicester manager

Struggling Leicester have parted company with manager Brendan Rodgers following Saturday’s defeat at Crystal Palace.

The Foxes sit in the relegation zone with 10 games to play after taking just one point from a possible 18.

Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell will take first-team training for now, but here the PA news agency looks at some potential contenders to succeed the Northern Irishman on a permanent basis.

Mauricio Pochettino

Pochettino gained extensive Premier League experience at Southampton and Tottenham and is still available after leaving Paris St Germain last summer.

Attracting the Argentinian would be a real coup and no doubt excite City supporters.

Yet, following a stint managing Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe and with his stock still high, he may well prefer to hold on for a so-called bigger club and has been linked with a return to managerless Spurs this summer.

Marcelo Bielsa

Bielsa would undoubtedly provide entertainment given his attacking philosophy and relentless style of play.

The 67-year-old is still revered by Leeds fans for his successful spell in West Yorkshire.

But Bielsa has already turned down the Everton job this season, preferring to take over a club in the summer, so would be highly unlikely to sign up for the relegation run-in.

Ralph Hasenhuttl

The Austrian was sacked by fellow strugglers Southampton earlier this season, but could prove to be a strong candidate for the job.

His high-pressing style of play should be good fit with the squad at the King Power Stadium, but his Southampton side leaked goals, which has been a problem for the Foxes this season.

Rafael Benitez

Champions League winner Benitez is still seeking a new opportunity after he was sacked by Everton in January 2022.

Following successful spells with Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle earlier in his career, the Spaniard may be seen as a safe pair of hands who could get the best out of the Foxes’ underperforming players.

He stayed with Newcastle after he failed to keep them in the Premier League in 2016 and led them straight back to the top tier.

Dean Smith

Dean Smith was linked with the job earlier in the season and he is now out of work having been sacked by Norwich.

Smith previously did a solid job at boyhood club Aston Villa before being sacked in a decision that divided their fans.

But he suffered relegation with Norwich last season and was sacked in December as the Canaries slipped off the pace in the play-off race.