Five top managers without a club and available for hire

Carlo Ancelotti became the latest boss to join the yearly manager merry go round – suddenly leaving Everton to rejoin Real Madrid. 

Former manager Zinedine Zidane departed the Bernabeu for the second time last week, citing a lack of faith and support from the powers that be at Madrid.

Ancelotti is not the first and, by the looks of things, will not be the last to depart their club this summer.

We take a look at five other top managers who are currently without a club.

Frank Lampard

Lampard has been without a club since January

The former Chelsea and Derby County manager has been in the managerial wilderness since he lost his job in January.

While the Blues’ Champions League triumph suggests sacking him and bringing in Thomas Tuchel was the right decision, it would be churlish to suggest his time at the helm of Stamford Bridge was a failure.

In his only full season in charge, he steered the Blues into the top four and the FA Cup final, navigating a transfer ban and transforming young talents such as Mason Mount and Reece James into some of Europe’s top players.

He has demonstrated his abilities in working with and improving young players; therefore, any team with a conveyer built of raw talent could benefit immensely by bringing the Chelsea legend on board.

Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe is still available after turning down Celtic

The Bournemouth manager took the Cherries from the bottom of League Two all the way to the Premier League in his two spells at the club – an achievement more commonly seen on computer game Football Manager.

Howe not only brought the Cherries to the promise land, he did it with an attractive playing style and identity which kept the Dorset club in the most lucrative division in world football for four seasons.

It looked certain Howe was going to join Celtic, however, the 43-year-old had a change of heart and ended his interest in joining the Scottish giants.

Everton and Crystal Palace are the main clubs to have allegedly expressed interest in Howe, while Spurs have also been mentioned a few times.

Wherever he goes, the question will be can Howe implement his identity on another club?

Ernesto Valverde

Valverde has won trophies at every club he’s managed

The former Barcelona manager has not been seen in football since the La Liga giants in-despicably sacked him with the club top of La Liga.

Valverde spent three years with the Catalans, winning the League and Cup double in 2017/18 before going on to retain La Liga the following season.

The Spaniard is an experienced manager who has also managed Athletic Bilbao and Olympiacos, where he won the Greek Super League three times in four years between the 2008/09 season and the 2011/12 season.

He would instil a winning mentality and clear playing style whatever club he goes.

His experience and success is too good to be wasted so expect the Spaniard to join a club soon.

Rafa Benitez

Rafa Benitez has been without a club since January

The former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid manager is also available for hire after three years managing Chinese Super League side Dalian Professional.

However, he left the club in January 2021 and has been looking for a new one ever since.

Benitez is one of the top managers around having won the Champions League, the Europa League and La Liga twice with Liverpool, Chelsea and Valencia respectively.

He does not have a specific and unadaptable playing style and identity as he prefers to adapt to the main strengths and weaknesses at a club, rather than impose a particular way of playing.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said he could perfectly fill the void left by Ancelotti at Everton, but could Benitez go and join his former club’s near rivals?

Maurizio Sarri

Maurizio Sarri has been available since being sacked by Juventus last season

SARRI BALL – it had such a good ring to it.

At times his football style was as easy on the eye as it was on the ears when he was at Chelsea for the 2018/19 season; however, the Blues struggled with his methods in the second half of the season.

In spite of this, the West Londoners finished third and even won the Europa League in what was a relatively good year for the club.

It earned him a move to Juventus where he only lasted one season before he was sacked, despite winning Serie A for the Turin side.

Sarri has been available ever since and he could be a perfect acquisition for a side who wants to improve and expand their playing style.

Recently it was touted Spurs were interested in bringing the Italian to North London, but these rumours have quietened down in the weeks proceeding.