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Football News

Brendan Rodgers could be managing Chelsea within a few years, says Jamie Carragher

By Harry Edwards

Published: 18:20, 1 November 2019

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers could find himself at Chelsea or Arsenal in the next few years, according to former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.

Rodgers has worked wonders since replacing Claude Puel in February 2019, with Leicester currently sitting third in the Premier League.

The Foxes are just two points behind Manchester City after 10 games, winning six and losing only to Manchester United and Liverpool and recorded the highest-ever Premier League away win last Friday, beating Southampton 9-0 at St Mary’s.

Could Brendan Rodgers leave Leicester City? Five things to know…

  • Leicester City are currently third in the Premier League after 10 games.
  • The Foxes have won six, drawn two and lost two so far this season.
  • Rodgers has received many plaudits for transforming Leicester since taking over in February.
  • And former Liverpool defender Carragher believes Rodgers could one day manage Arsenal or Chelsea.
  • Carragher also tipped Rodgers for England, though he ruled out the former Liverpool boss managing Man Utd.

Leicester’s rise up the table has come through wonderful attacking football, with only Manchester City (32) having scored more Premier League goals than the Foxes’ 25 this season, while no team has conceded fewer than their eight.

This is a big change from Rodgers’ Liverpool team in 2013/14 that missed out on the Premier League title due to their poor defending, losing a 3-0 lead away to Crystal Palace on top of conceding 50 goals – 13 more than champions Manchester City.

His improvements as a manager will undoubtedly see Rodgers linked with moves away from Leicester, even if he does lead the Foxes to the Champions League.

And Carragher, who played under Rodgers at Liverpool, believes his former boss would never manage Manchester United but could take charge of Arsenal or Chelsea, having previously worked for the latter as a reserves coach.

“Liverpool is out of the question and Manchester United is too because he was Liverpool manager,” he said.

“You look at Arsenal and Chelsea in a few years’ time, whether Frank stays there or not.

“Rodgers has a link to Chelsea, being in the youth set-up and the reserves. They’re the two jobs you’d look at, maybe international wise as well.”

Carragher also tipped Rodgers to one day go on to manage England, should Gareth Southgate’s tenure not last.

“Who knows how long Gareth Southgate will last for England, whether he goes after the next tournament or the next World Cup,” he added.

“I think Brendan Rodgers would come into the reckoning because there’s no doubt, when he was flying at Liverpool, his name was continually mentioned for the England job.

“They’re the types of jobs he’ll be looking at but he knows that getting back into the Premier League after what happened with Liverpool, if he could get Leicester into the top four, it gives himself a great chance. It restores his credibility that maybe went a touch in that last season at Liverpool.”

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How Chelsea could line up under Rodgers in 2022

As well as playing exciting, attacking football, Rodgers has been utilising a selection of young English players at Leicester, receiving plaudits for trying to advance the development for the national side.

Under Frank Lampard, Chelsea are also seeing an influx of young English stars getting increased playing time having long been ignored by former Blues managers. Which begs the question, how would Chelsea line up under Rodgers in 2022?

Rodgers currently operates a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 at Leicester City and that would not be too different from the system Chelsea use under Lampard. Most of the personnel would also remain the same, such is the youthfulness of Chelsea’s current team, but the passing years could bring in some fresher names.

Kepa Arrizabalaga should remain the number one option in a few years time, now aged 25, but he could have some more competition from current third-choice goalkeeper Jamie Cumming. Fikayo Tomori looks set to be Chelsea’s number one centre-back for years to come after breaking through under Lampard and he could be joined by Marc Guehi, who has impressed in his brief first-team appearances so far. The pair would most likely be flanked by Emerson and Reece James, with the latter already close to a first-team place.

Although Jorginho has been playing extremely well under Lampard, come 2022 he would be on the verge of turning 30, so could be replaced by Ethan Ampadu at the base of midfield should the Welshman’s progress not be too badly harmed by his current poor loan spell at RB Leipzig. N’Golo Kante will be 31, but one expects the Frenchman to be in Chelsea’s team until he leaves or retires, while Mason Mount would fill a James Maddison role perfectly.

And the front three is one Chelsea fans will most likely see used this season, with Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi flanking Tammy Abraham.

How Chelsea could line up under Brendan Rodgers: Arrizabalaga; James, Tomori, Guehi, Emerson; Kante, Ampadu, Mount; Pulisic, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi.