June 14, (THEWILL) – Brendan Rodgers, the former manager of Celtic, is reportedly close to sealing a deal that would see him return to the Scottish champions.
The club has been swift in their search for a replacement for Ange Postecoglou, who recently departed for the English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, as THEWILL previously reported.
While Celtic initially had a shortlist of potential candidates that included Enzo Maresca, a coach from Manchester City, and Pascal Jansen, the manager of AZ Alkmaar, it appears that Rodgers has emerged as the frontrunner. Dermot Desmond, the owner of the Hoops, has been leading negotiations with Rodgers, who has tentatively agreed to come back to the club. The final details of the deal are now being ironed out, with Rodgers reportedly making requests regarding transfer funding, which Desmond has assured him will be met to aid in squad revamp.
Rodgers, who himself recently left Leicester City towards the end of last season, has been courted by other clubs, including Leeds United. However, the former Liverpool manager had little interest in a Championship role at this stage of his career. Instead, he is now prepared to make a comeback at Celtic Park, returning four years after his departure for the Leicester job. As part of his return, Rodgers plans to bring several familiar faces, such as Glen Driscoll and Jack Lyons, with him to the club.
While his previous assistant Chris Davies is unlikely to join due to strong links with the Swansea City managerial position, Rodgers hopes to convince John Kennedy to remain at Celtic rather than join Postecoglou at Tottenham.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
