YAN DIOMANDE MAKES FINAL TRANSFER DECISION AS REAL MADRID JOIN ARSENAL AND LIVERPOOL FOR £100M RB LEIPZIG STAR

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RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande has outlined his transfer preference amid mounting interest from Real Madrid, PSG, Arsenal, and Liverpool. The £100m-rated Ivory Coast international impressed during a breakout season in Germany and at the 2026 World Cup, leaving him keen on a summer departure despite Leipzig's public stance that he is not for sale.

Diomande signals summer exit

Leipzig winger Diomande has reportedly made his final decision regarding his next destination amid a fierce transfer battle involving PSG, Liverpool, Arsenal and Madrid. According to The Athletic, Los Blancos have even opened direct negotiations with Leipzig to sign the £100 million-rated winger after he registered 12 goals and eight assists in the Bundesliga and impressed in leading Ivory Coast to the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup. Despite Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schafer insisting the player is going nowhere, Diomande remains hopeful of finalising a move this summer.

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Winger outlines transfer stance

Asked about the speculation surrounding interest from Europe's elite during the World Cup, the young Ivorian star openly confirmed his expectation to leave Leipzig while leaving negotiations in his agent's hands.

Speaking to reporters, he stated: "First of all I think, like I said, my dream is playing for my country, and to make history with my country. I don't have Instagram anymore. I don't have TikTok as well, so I can't see anything! But I expect to leave, of course. And I have an agent, he's going to manage the rest. But for me, the most important thing right now is the focus on the World Cup with my country."

Meanwhile, regarding his boyhood club, Diomande previously told French media: "Paris Saint-Germain is a team I've loved since I was little. I think my father was a PSG supporter. It's a team I admire as a football fan."

Mourinho enters transfer race

A separate report from TEAMtalkclaims that Diomande's primary preference remains a move to PSG, though the winger is open to joining Madrid if the French giants fail to agree a fee with Leipzig. The race has intensified further after the Spanish giants, now led by new manager Jose Mourinho, entered the frame for the attacker as part of their squad overhaul. Elsewhere, Arsenal have also joined the pursuit after their attempt to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa ended in failure.

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Leipzig demand premium fee

Diomande has now returned to pre-season training with Leipzig following his post-World Cup break. PSG are expected to submit a formal offer swiftly to prevent Madrid or the Premier League duo from hijacking the deal for their top target. Leipzig hold a strong negotiating position and are adamant they will only part ways with their prized asset if a suitor meets his valuation.

- Adhe Makayasa

'FANTASTIC COACH': SPAIN MANAGER WELCOMES JOSE MOURINHO'S IMMINENT RETURN TO REAL MADRID

Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

While the upcoming presidential elections might have slowed things down, it appears only a matter of time that Real Madrid announce the appointment of Jose Mourinho as the new manager.

With Alvaro Arbeloa having left, Los Blancos have already secured an agreement with the Portuguese tactician to take over.

However, the elections, where Florentino Perez is facing competition from Enrique Riquelme, has led to a brief pause on any movement.

Mourinho’s return is imminent. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Spain manager welcomes Mourinho return

In the unlikely event of Riquelme winning the elections, things could end up changing, but as things stand, Perez is expected to return as president and go ahead with Mourinho’s appointment as manager.

And, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has shared his opinion about the Portuguese’s imminent return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“I have a lot of respect for what clubs do. I don’t know the inner workings of a club like 

Real Madrid or others,” De la Fuente told RTVE (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

“I have total and absolute respect for the decisions clubs make. He’s a fantastic coach with a very important history at Real Madrid. I think the idea is excellent,” the Spain manager further stated.

Mourinho has already made demands

As reported earlier today, Mourinho has already made several demands with the Real Madrid board ahead of his impending return.

The former Real Madrid boss is seeking full control of transfers ahead of his second stint with the club and has identified four key areas of the squad that need to be strengthened – centre-back, full-back, central midfield, and playmaker.

- Raghavendra Goudar

PERMANENT MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGERS SINCE SIR ALEX FERGUSON'S RETIREMENT

 

CHELSEA HAVE NEVER HAD A PERMANENT MANAGER LAST 1,000 DAYS SINCE MOURINHO'S FIRST SPELL

 

MOURINHO LAUNCHES 'THE SPECIAL ONE' WINE

Former Manchester United and Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho has launched his alcoholic wine named 'The Special One'. Check it out!

Mourinho, currently the coach of Benfica in Portugal, has ventured into the world of business with his very own wine.

The wine is named after his famous nickname, 'The Special One', a moniker he earned after famously declaring it to the media during his unveiling as Chelsea manager in 2004.

At the time, his statement showcased his confidence, self-belief, and unique approach to leadership, instantly making him a larger-than-life figure in the Premier League.

Now, Mourinho has taken the nickname a step further, cementing its legacy by naming his wine after it, a nod to the bold personality and self-assuredness that have defined his career.

The 62-year-old tactician, who also managed the likes of Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur, has announced his wine on social media on Saturday.

"The Special One Wine is available now," Mourinho said on Instagram.

"To thank the very first buyers, I will be hand-signing and numbering the first 1,000 bottles.

"From the beautiful Douro region of Portugal, I’ve personally selected this wine," he added.

"These signed bottles will ship before Christmas in selected areas, for you, or for the Special One in your life."

 - Clifton LS

JOSE MOURINHO SUFFERS DEFEAT ON CHELSEA HOMECOMING

Dodi Lukebakio, right, caused problems for Chelsea and Marc Cucurella (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

Jose Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge homecoming ended in defeat as Chelsea got their Champions League season going at the second attempt with a 1-0 win over Benfica.

It was the seventh time since his sacking in 2015 that the three-time Premier League winner had returned to sit in the away dugout but there was to be no fairytale for his underdogs, an own goal from midfielder Richard Rios after 18 minutes the difference.

Enzo Maresca’s side had been outclassed despite a brave, ambitious showing in losing to Bayern Munich in their opening game, but Mourinho’s visitors posed a different challenge, sitting deep and challenging the home side to pick through them.

Richard Rios’ own goal was decisive (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

They managed it just once but decisively, Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho the goal’s twin architects – one with a cross, the other with a brilliant sliding reach, and the unfortunate Rios did the rest.

It took less than two minutes for the first round of “Jose Mourinho” chants to fill the air, a reminder to Maresca if one was needed of the challenge that lies ahead if he wishes fully to win a place in supporters’ affections.

Three defeats in four had exposed some of the glitches in the circuitry of his young side, chiefly a questionable discipline and a tendency to lose concentration at key moments, but there was enough here to reaffirm that Chelsea remain broadly on track despite their stumble.

Issues with discipline still need to be addressed. Joao Pedro, a second-half substitute, was dismissed in the final minute of added time, a second yellow card for a high boot bringing Chelsea’s tally of reds to three in four matches.

By then, though, victory had been assured.

Joao Pedro collected a second yellow card late on (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

Enzo Fernandez blasted low and wide early on against his former club, then Belgium international Dodi Lukebakio tried to sneak one between Robert Sanchez and his near post, the goalkeeper turning his driven effort onto the woodwork.

Neto warmed up his left foot with a wicked drive that flashed inches wide after darting in off the flank.

It was from the same boot that Chelsea’s opening goal was worked minutes later, the Portugal international sending over a lovely, sweeping cross for Garnacho to slide onto determinedly and turn it back into the six-yard box where it bounced in off Rios.

Lukebakio was a ready danger on the right side with Marc Cucurella struggling to contain the winger, who was Benfica’s most dangerous player in the first half. A last-ditch challenge from Trevoh Chalobah prevented his cut-back from reaching striker Vangelis Pavlidis as the visitors threatened a quick response.

Dodi Lukebakio, right, caused problems for Chelsea and Marc Cucurella (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

The game was briefly paused when missiles rained down on Fernandez from the away end as he prepared to take a corner, the Chelsea captain still a figure of derision in Lisbon after defecting to west London in 2023.

Exciting teenage winger Estevao Willian was sent on in the second half at the head of a trio of attacking changes as Maresca sought to kill off the game.

After substitutions during Saturday’s defeat to Brighton that were deemed negative, the spirit of adventure drew a wave of appreciation from supporters near the dugout.

He remains short of the love showered over his opposite number, but this win was a start.

- Robert O'Connor

JOSÉ MOURINHO'S MANAGERIAL JOURNEY

 

JOSÉ MOURINHO ROW WITH TURKISH FA EXPLAINED AMID RACISM ALLEGATIONS AND STRONG DROGBA STATEMENT

Galatasaray have accused Jose Mourinho of racism (Image: Getty Images)

Former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba has defended Jose Mourinho after Galatasaray accused the Fenerbahce head coach of making "racist statements" against Turkish people.

Galatasaray said they intended to launch criminal proceedings against Mourinho and would also submit complaints to governing bodies UEFA and FIFA over the "derogatory" remarks, which they say were made in the aftermath of Monday's feisty 0-0 draw against Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

What was said?

In his post-match press conference, ex-Tottenham and Chelsea boss Mourinho said that the Galatasaray bench were "jumping around like monkeys" following an early tackle.

The 62-year-old also lauded the decision to bring in Slovenian Slavko Vincic to officiate the game and claimed it would have been a disaster if the match would have been refereed by a Turkish official.

Vincic, who refereed last season's Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, was drafted in by the Turkish football federation after recent controversies involving Turkish referees.

A statement from Galatasaray read: "Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Turkey, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric.

"We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.

"Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce - an institution professing to uphold 'exemplary moral values' - in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager."

The statement was posted on the Galatasaray club website under the headline: "Say no to racism."

Didier Drogba statement

Less than 48 hours since the controversy struck, Drogba, who worked with Mourinho during their time at Chelsea, has jumped the defence of his former manager and claimed he is not racist.

In a passionate statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Drogba said: "Dear @GalatasaraySK. You know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!! We all know how passionate and heated rivalries can be, and I've been lucky enough to experience it.

"I've seen the recent comments about Jose Mourinho. Trust me when I tell you I have known Jose for 25 years and he is not a racist and history (past and recent) is there to prove it. Let's focus on our games, support our brilliant lions and let's win the league to get close to our 5 [star emoji].

"How can my "Dad" be a racist [man tipping two hands emoji]. Come on guys [red and yellow love heart emoji, and three star emoji]."

- Kieran King

FENERBAHCE ISSUE STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO JOSE MOURINHO 'RACIST COMMENTS'

Jose Mourinho has been accused of making ‘racist statements’ by Galatasaray (Picture: Getty)

Fenerbahce have issued a strong statement in response to accusations that Jose Mourinho made ‘racist statements’ following Monday’s 0-0 draw against Galatasaray.

Galatasaray said the club planned to launch criminal proceedings against the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager after it was claimed he made ‘derogatory statements’ about Turkish people.

The Turkish league leaders also confirmed their intention to submit complaints to governing bodies UEFA and FIFA after the comments made by Mourinho in the aftermath of last night’s stalemate.

Fenerbahce, who Mourinho joined in the summer, have come out fighting and issues a passionate defence of the 62-year-old.

A statement read: ‘A statement made by our Technical Director Jose Mourinho after the match was completely taken out of context and an attempt was made to deliberately distort it.

‘As every sensible person can see and understand; these statements used by Jose Mourinho to describe the excessive reaction of the opposing team’s technical staff to the referee decisions during the match can in no way be associated with racism.

‘Trying to portray this statement as racist is a completely malicious approach. We would like to inform the public that we will use our legal rights regarding this pathetic slander that was made in order to take the competition off the field, change the agenda and manipulate it.’

Jose Mourinho’s side drew 0-0 with Galatasaray (Picture: Getty)

Mourinho had made comments about the Galatasaray bench ‘jumping like monkeys’ after an early challenge and the match being better because it was not officiated by a Turkish referee. Slovenian Slavko Vincic refereed the contest.

A statement from Galatasaray said Mourinho ‘has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people’ since taking over at Fenerbahce in June 2024.

‘Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric,’ the statement said.

‘We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.’

Describing Mourinho’s conduct as ‘reprehensible’, it said rivals Fenerbahce professed ‘to uphold ‘exemplary moral values”.

The statement was posted on the club website under the headline: ‘Say no to racism.’

Mourinho was defended by Fenerbahce vice-president Acun Ilicali, who told Sky Sports News: ‘Jose Mourinho is just describing the emotion of the bench by using the word monkey, that’s all.

‘When I say you are running like a rabbit, I don’t say that you are a rabbit. So when I say you are jumping like a monkey, it doesn’t mean you are a monkey.

‘You can clearly understand that Jose Mourinho had no intention to be racist, in the words or behind the words or around the words. That’s a very clear situation that is trying to be manipulated by Galatasaray’s board, and we are used to it in Turkey.

- James Goldman

HIGHEST PAID MANAGERS IN THE WORLD

 

MOST POINTS AFTER FIRST 25 PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES AS MANAGER

 

20 MANAGES WITH THE MOST POINTS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HISTORY

 

JOSE MOURINHO DEMANDS TV EXPERTS SOLVE FENERBAHCE LB PROBLEM

Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho has appealed to the "experts" in the Turkish media to help him solve his left-back dilemma for their next Europa League game against Olympique Lyon.

The Turkish outfit is without injured left-back Jayden Oosterwolde and Mert Müldür, who is suspended following his sending off in Wednesday's Europa League 2-0 home defeat to Athletic Club.

"If you look at our next [Europa League] match against Olympique Lyon, Müldür is suspended, who is going to play left-back?" Mourinho said. "If anyone of you can help me, if any one of the experts of TV can help me. Who is going to play left-back?"

Fenerbahce, who have won two and lost two of their six Europa League games, are hoping to win the Super Lig title this season for the first time since 2014.

Saturday's 1-0 league loss at Besiktas, which ended a five-game winning run, left them second in the standings, six points adrift of Galatasaray.

Mourinho is clearly frustrated with selection dilemmas.

"Sometimes you [media] look at things without knowing the reality of the things well," he said.

"I don't know because unfortunately I can only say a few words of Turkish, if we as a club give you the right information to understand situations. I would love to have all of my players available. You see how difficult it is for us. We didn't have a single midfielder on the bench [against Athletic]."

Jose Mourinho has appealed to the Turkish media to solve Fenerbache's left-back dilemma. Photo by Ahmad Mora - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Asked about signing reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window, Mourinho said: "I'm happy with my players. I don't throw my players under the bus. Don't expect me to come here and to tell you that I would like to have better players.

"I would like to have Jayden Oosterwolde available because for us it's really hard [without him]. But don't worry, we are going to qualify [in the Europa League]. We have two games left to get three points, and we'll get that. We are going to be stronger in the second half of the season."

Mourinho, meanwhile, clarified the comments he made earlier this week about wanting to see Athletic star Nico Williams play for Real Madrid one day.

"I love Nico Williams and when I said that I would like him to wear the Madrid jersey I didn't remember that Real Madrid has Vinícius [Júnior]," he said on Wednesday.

"I said it because I'm a Blanco [Madrid] fan and as a Blanco, you always think that way. Real Madrid has Vinícius, who is incredible, but I love this kid [Nico] who has incredible quality. He's a player that I love."

- Adriana Garcia

RÚBEN AMORIM CONFIDENT HE CAN RETURN MAN UNITED GLORY YEARS

Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

MANCHESTER, England -- Rúben Amorim believes he is the right man at the right time to re-establish Manchester United as the dominant force in English football.

Amorim is the sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 to take the job following on from David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag.

He is attempting to become the first since Ferguson to win the Premier League title after a wait of more than a decade. While he admits the task in front of him is a "big challenge," the 39-year-old has said he is up to it.

"Call me naïve but I believe I am the right guy in the right moment," Amorim told his first United news conference on Friday.

"I truly believe I am the right guy. I am a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself and I believe in the club, I think we have the same idea, the same mindset and that can help."

Amorim is preparing for his first game at Ipswich Town on Sunday after taking charge of his first week of training with his new club.

He revealed he received message of congratulations from his compatriot Mourinho, who he spent a week's internship with at Carrington in 2018, but the former Sporting CP coach was keen to distance himself from suggestions he is the second "Special One."

"He sent me a message," Amorim said. "He said welcome to the club, that it's a big club and in that he is correct.

"But a lot of things change, we are in a different building now. I am a different guy and I hope to teach something to my players. The club is still big, it is still the best in England and we want to win."

Amorim is set to implement his favoured 3-4-3 formation at Portman Road, despite having limited time on the training pitch since his arrival in Manchester.

He is inheriting a team languishing in 13th in the Premier League table, but he said there are a couple of key areas where he will demand immediate change.

"It is a different way of playing and we are changing in the middle of the season," Amorim said.

"I think we lose the ball too often, we have to be better at running back, I think that is clear to everyone and I think we have to be better on the details. We have to improve on the small things. In the small things, I think I can help a lot."

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

MOST WINS | FIRST 16 GAMES

 

JOSÉ MOURINHO AGEAD OF FENERBAHCE'S UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE MEETING WITH MAN UNITED

 

JOSÉ MOURINHO MOCKS REFEREE AFTER RED CARD AGAINST MAN UNITED

Jose Mourinho showed his frustration after being shown a red card in Fenerbahce's draw with Manchester United. Serhat Cagdas/Anadolu via Getty Images

Jose Mourinho mocked the "incredible" explanation of the referee after he was shown a red card during his Fenerbahce side's 1-1 Europa League draw against former club Manchester United on Thursday.

Mourinho was shown the red card just before the hour mark amid a heated dispute with the referee, which seemingly included some colourful language, after Fenerbahce were denied an appeal for a penalty.

After initially saying he didn't want to speak about the non-penalty, Mourinho ridiculed the referee's account of the incident.

"He told us something incredible," Mourinho told TNT Sports. "He told that at the same time he could see the action in the box and my behavior on the touchline.

"I congratulate him because he is absolutely incredible, his peripheral vision. During the game, 100 mph, he had one eye on the penalty situation, and he had one eye on the bench and my behaviour. So that's the explanation he gave me. That's why he's one of the best referees in the world."

Mourinho was previously given a four-game European ban for abusing the referee when his Roma side lost in the Europa League final to Sevilla in May 2023. And he cited that incident as a reason he wouldn't be appealing his red card on Thursday.

"If I appeal, I will get six months," Mourinho said later during his news conference. "Since the Sevilla-Roma final there is nothing to do."

Mourinho even quipped that he would take a job in the future with a club not in European competition.

"The best thing I have to do is when I leave Fenerbahce, I go to a club that doesn't play in UEFA competition," he said. "So, if any club in England from the bottom of the table needs a coach in two years, I'm ready to go."

Man United led early from Christian Eriksen's 15th-minute goal only to see Youssef En-Nesyri equalize in the 49th, heading home unmarked from close range on a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.

The result keeps Fenerbahce unbeaten with five points from three games, but Mourinho said he believed his team should have gotten more from the game.

"It would be fair to say that we did an extraordinary match and we were better than them, so good result for Man United," he said to TNT Sports.

"My boys played an amazing match," he added. "We played against a team that is at a superior level to us. We finished the game with a centre-back playing at right-back and a right-back at left-back. We had to do a crazy puzzle, but our performance was extraordinary, and I couldn't ask for anything more from the players."

Mourinho led United to win the Europa League in 2017 during his 2½ years at Old Trafford. He took the Fenerbahce job this past offseason.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

JOSÉ MOURINHO: I COULD STILL WIN THE PL WITH MAN UNITED

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho speaks to the media after Fenerbahce's draw with Samsunspor(Image: Veysel Altun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho said mischievously that he's still hopeful he could become a Premier League Champion with Manchester United if Manchester City are retroactively docked points due to Financial Fair Play breaches.

City are facing 115 charges of breaking Premier League financial regulations and face the possibility of being stripped of their titles or docked points if found guilty.

Mourinho led United to second place in the 2017-18 season -- finishing 19 points behind champions City

"We finished second in the Premier League," Mourinho said at a news conference Wednesday. "I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league and they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal."

Fenerbahce head coach Mourinho was speaking ahead of his team's Europa League showdown against United on Thursday

He said he expects his former club to soon be successful, despite the ongoing turbulence at the Premier League club. Erik ten Hag's team are 12th in the standings after winning just three of their opening eight league games and are winless in the Europa League.

"Having analysed them with my team, there is work there and they will succeed sooner or later," he said. "I want them to be successful. I wish the best for the coach and players.

"I want the best for them. If things are not going amazingly well for them, it's not something that makes me happy."

Mourinho said he understands United fans' frustration after a run of just one win in nine European matches.

Ten Hag's side ended a five-match winless run in Saturday's 2-1 league win over Brentford.

"They have a better team than the results are showing," Mourinho said.

Despite their struggles this season, Mourinho said United can lift the Europa League.

"If I have to say now who are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it's easy, I would say Manchester United and Tottenham," he said. "The Premier League is a different level of quality, a different level of intensity, of pace, of tactical culture, of everything. Tomorrow we are going to play against one of the two strongest teams."

United coach Ten Hag took over in April 2022 and has led United to two trophies -- the Carabao Cup in 2023 and last season's FA Cup.

"They keep faith in the coach," Mourinho said of United's backing of Ten Hag. "They support the coach, the coach is staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust."

Mourinho, who coached United from 2016 to 2018, winning a Europa League and Carabao Cup, was sacked with his team 11 points adrift of the Champions League places in December 2018.

"They are giving him [Ten Hag] conditions to keep developing his job," Mourinho said. "That was a difference in relation to me."

- Adriana Garcia

JOSE MOURINHO | FULL.SEASON IN lCHARGE

 

SIR ALEX FERGUSON, ARSNE WENGER & THE 25 BEST PREMIER LEAGUE MAMAGERS OF 21ST CENTURY SO FAR - RANKED

As we approach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, GOAL runs through the best coaches to have graced the division in the last 25 years.

To date, the 21st century has been transformative for the Premier League; the most popular division in the world, England's top flight has grown exponentially to become a commercial behemoth - powered by incredibly lucrative TV rights deals, unprecedented investment and big-money transfers that have ensured it is home to some of the best payers in the world.

And the best players need the best managers. Some of the all-time greats have graced the Premier League since the turn of the millennium, from Jose Mourinho, to Carlo Ancelotti, to Pep Guardiola.

So as we approach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, GOAL looks back on the greatest tactical minds to have managed in the Premier League since the year 2000. Here they are, ranked...

25. Sean Dyche

There is a sense that Sean Dyche will be the modern-day manager clubs turn to when they are in crisis, given he is seen as an expert at getting results with limited resources at his disposal.

After getting Burnley promoted, Dyche remarkably kept the Clarets in the Premier League for six long seasons as they rarely flirted with relegation and even secured European qualification with a seventh-placed finish in 2017-18. Now fighting fires at Everton, he avoided the drop in consecutive seasons despite a precarious financial situation and two points deductions.

24. Steve Bruce

Among the 10 managers to have taken charge of the most Premier League games, Steve Bruce has had a storied managerial career at the highest level of English football and takes his place on this list through sheer longevity and commitment.

Former Manchester United defender Bruce has overseen a whopping 476 matches across spells with Newcastle (84 games), Hull City (76), Sunderland (89), Wigan Athletic (62) and Birmingham City (165). He has had varying degrees of success, but you can't understate his love for the trade.

23. Martin O'Neill

After reviving Leicester City and guiding them to an eighth-placed finish in 2000, Martin O'Neill returned to English football in 2006 after a successful spell with Celtic as he took charge of Aston Villa.

The charismatic Northern Irishman turned the Villans into consistent top-six challengers, helping the club to qualify for the UEFA Cup and just falling short of reaching the Champions League. Getting the best out of players like Gareth Barry and Gabriel Agbonlahor, O'Neill's 1.55 points-per-game record in the Premier League with Villa is second only to current boss Unai Emery.

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22. Eddie Howe

Long regarded as one of the best up-and-coming English managers, Eddie Howe made his name at Bournemouth - whom he kept in the Premier League for five years on a shoestring budget after securing a first-ever top-flight promotion in 2015, including a remarkable ninth-placed finish in 2017.

Howe has, of course, since joined Newcastle, whose fortunes he has completely changed alongside their new, incredibly wealthy Saudi owners. In the space of less than two seasons, the 46-year-old took the Magpies from battling relegation to the promised land of the Champions League, and there is the sense that they are here to stay as top-six challengers.

21. Sam Allardyce

Although his style of play has never been popular, Sam Allardyce has become renowned as an expert Premier League firefighter, swerving relegation after being brought in at struggling Blackburn, Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

It wasn't always that way, however; 'Big Sam' enjoyed his first foray into the top flight with Bolton Wanderers and guided them into Europe courtesy of a club-record, sixth-place finish in 2004-05, snaring a UEFA Cup place with a team full of 'streets won't forget' names like Jay-Jay Okocha, Ivan Campo and Stelios Giannakopoulos. His highest recent finish came at Everton in 2018, with whom he claimed eighth place.

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20. Unai Emery

Emery had unfinished work in the Premier League after his ill-fated spell with Arsenal, but boy has he set about completing it. Succeeding Arsene Wenger was never going to be an easy task, but the Spaniard will feel he deserved more time after being sacked a little over a year into his tenure in November 2019.

Returning to English shores with Aston Villa in 2022, Emery has demonstrated what he is all about - propelling the Villans from relegation-threatened to European qualification in the season he took over and securing a historic top-four place in 2023-24 as Villa returned to the Champions League for the first time in 42 years. Impressive transfers and a distinctive, high-octane style of play mean the club is only looking upwards.

 

20. Unai Emery

Emery had unfinished work in the Premier League after his ill-fated spell with Arsenal, but boy has he set about completing it. Succeeding Arsene Wenger was never going to be an easy task, but the Spaniard will feel he deserved more time after being sacked a little over a year into his tenure in November 2019.

Returning to English shores with Aston Villa in 2022, Emery has demonstrated what he is all about - propelling the Villans from relegation-threatened to European qualification in the season he took over and securing a historic top-four place in 2023-24 as Villa returned to the Champions League for the first time in 42 years. Impressive transfers and a distinctive, high-octane style of play mean the club is only looking upwards.

 

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19. Sir Bobby Robson

The late, great, Sir Bobby Robson only managed in the Premier League for four years of the 21st century at Newcastle, but that was all he required to earn the freedom of the city. He thrust the club from the lower reaches of the Premier League to consistent top-five finishes, securing Champions League football two years in a row and taking them as high as third in 2002-03.

One of the greatest football managers of all time, Sir Bobby will always be remembered particularly fondly on Tyneside for those heady years in the early 2000s, reflected in the fact he was granted the Freedom of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne in March 2005. He has been immortalised with a statue outside St James' Park.

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18. Brendan Rodgers

Probably a consequence of what followed, it feels like an absolute age since Brendan Rodgers was the man in the Liverpool dugout - but he arguably laid the groundwork for their future success. After cutting his teeth at Chelsea and catching the eye with his attacking brand of play at Swansea, he came agonisingly close to ending Liverpool's wait for a Premier League title in 2013-14 with a team comprising a prime Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard.

Although they fell (or slipped) two points short, this was one of the most entertaining sides in Premier League history. Rodgers would go on to enjoy success with Leicester, winning the FA Cup and twice qualifying for the Europa League via fifth-placed finishes in 2020 and 2021.

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17. Harry Redknapp

Among the top-five managers to have taken charge of the most Premier League games with a total of 641, Harry Redknapp has certainly been around the block. Since the turn of the century, though, his greatest achievements have come at Portsmouth and Tottenham.

After initially steering the former away from the threat of relegation in 2005 and establishing them in the top flight, Redknapp was appointed at Spurs in 2008 after winning the FA Cup with Pompey. He then guided a middling side into the Champions League in less than two seasons at the helm with a scintillating style of play, overseeing a thrilling run to the quarter-finals as Gareth Bale starred.

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16. Roy Hodgson

The oldest manager to ever work in the Premier League, Roy Hodgson was actually something of a late bloomer in the English top-flight, enjoying a nomadic career before taking charge at Fulham in 2007 aged 60. Hodgson miraculously kept the Cottagers up after a tough start before incredibly securing Europa League football in his second season as he earned the club's highest-ever finish.

After reaching the final of the European competition, Hodgson would have an ill-fated spell at Liverpool, before turning relegation-threatened West Brom's fortunes around and being appointed by England (we all know how that went...). Hodgson is a hero at boyhood club Crystal Palace, too - keeping the club in the Premier League twice across two spells in south London and equalling the Eagles' record points total in 2018-19.

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15. Gerard Houllier

The late Gerard Houllier had a huge impact on Liverpool, instilling discipline and helping to revitalise and modernise the club in the early 2000s as he delivered tangible, incremental improvement in the league standings. He would make academy graduates Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen important members of his first-team setup and signed others who would become keys parts of the club's longer-term success.

Despite battling a heart condition, Houllier guided Liverpool to what was their highest-ever Premier League finish at the time in 2001-02, as the Reds came second behind Arsenal, while he had plenty of success in the cup competitions.

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14. David Moyes

David Moyes' Premier League career has been a rollercoaster, but he didn't let his ill-fated spell at Manchester United define him. He turned Everton into a consistent top-eight side over the course of his 11 years at Goodison Park despite a restrictive budget, even securing a fourth-placed finish in 2004-05 as he made shrewd signings like Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar and set a long-term vision.

Although his tenures at United and Sunderland were unsuccessful, Moyes has rebuilt his reputation across two spells with West Ham - first keeping them in the Premier League in 2017-18 before returning to repeat the trick in 2019-20 and securing the Hammers' record points tally the following season. They would become European contenders and Conference League winners, and at the time of writing, the Scot is third in the list of those to have managed the most Premier League games with 697.

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13. Mikel Arteta

A man with the potential to climb this list as time goes by, Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into genuine, consistent title contenders for the first time in a very long time - now it is just a matter of landing that elusive first title.

The Gunners have had to be patient, but over the last five years Arteta has overseen incremental improvement - climbing from eighth place to second - and built a young squad capable of challenging, playing a distinctive, high-intensity brand of football, and now they look like the side most likely to loosen Man City's vice-like grip on the trophy.

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12. Mauricio Pochettino

One of the Premier League's nearly men, newly-appointed United States boss Mauricio Pochettino will always be a firm favourite at Tottenham, whose fortunes changed significantly after his arrival - although they would fall short of winning a trophy. He was named Spurs manager having guided Southampton to eighth place and their highest-ever points tally in 2013-14, in what was just his second job in management.

11. Rafael Benitez

Rafael Benitez was the man Liverpool chose to build on the groundwork laid by Houllier, and he delivered - especially in Europe, where the Reds famously won the Champions League in 2005.

Liverpool would become a thorn in the side of the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal under the Spaniard without landing a league title themselves, consistently finishing in the top four before mounting a title challenge in 2008-09 with Gerrard and Fernando Torres at their peaks. They would ultimately finish four points behind United.

Benitez would go on to have mixed spells elsewhere at Chelsea, Newcastle and Everton, entering the top 10 for games managed in the Premier League.

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10. Claudio Ranieri

The Premier League's ultimate comeback king. Claudio Ranieri was unceremoniously sacked by new Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2004 despite leading the Blues to a second-placed finish, signing Frank Lampard and nurturing John Terry.

The Italian would not return to England until 2015 as he was appointed at Leicester, with his reputation at its nadir following a terrible spell as Greece's national team boss. Charged predominantly with keeping the Foxes in the top flight, he would pull off what was nothing short of a miracle as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Co. fired the club to a simply incredible league title, ultimately finishing the campaign 10 points clear of Arsenal. Dilly ding, dilly dong.

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9. Manuel Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini remains the only non-European winner of the Premier League as his well-oiled Man City machine saw off the stiff competition of Rodgers' Liverpool in 2013-14, thanks in no small part to that slip from Gerrard.

Known for their mesmerising, geometric patterns of play, City were certainly easy on the eye under Pellegrini's stewardship, scoring more than 100 league goals in record time on the way to claiming that title. Having been replaced by Pep Guardiola in 2016, the Chilean returned to English shores with West Ham two years later, but he was unable to deliver similar success and was sacked with the club in the relegation zone.

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8. Antonio Conte

A manager who wins things (almost) wherever he goes, Antonio Conte will always be a popular figure in one part of London, at least. After a dire start to the 2016-17 campaign as Chelsea's new manager, the Italian switched up his tactics by reverting to a back three - a setup that would be widely copied in subsequent years - and would reap the rewards.

Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses shone as wing-backs, while they had the guile of Eden Hazard, the vision of Cesc Fabregas and the goals of Diego Costa in central areas. It proved to be the perfect formula as the Blues recovered from their early-season blip to win the league at something of a canter, eventually finishing seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham and setting a new Premier League record for the most wins in a single season with 30.

Having been dismissed by Chelsea after a disappointing second season, Conte would, of course, return to the English top flight when he took charge of Spurs in 2021, and although he guided them back into the Champions League, things would soon turn sour.

7. Roberto Mancini

Roberto Mancini will always be remembered as the manager who oversaw arguably the greatest moment in Manchester City history, as Sergio Aguero's last-gasp winner against QPR secured the title in the final seconds of the 2011-12 campaign. Up until that point, his City tenure had been a slow burn, with the newly-moneyed Citizens finishing fifth and then third in his first two seasons at the helm.

That all changed in 2012, as he set City on course for this period of unprecedented success by claiming their first-ever Premier League title in the most dramatic fashion. It was a moment that secured Mancini's legacy forever.

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6. Carlo Ancelotti

You can't help but wonder what might have been had Chelsea held on to Carlo Ancelotti... The legendary Italian tactician led a rampant Blues side to the title in 2009-10 in his debut campaign, as the west Londoners became the first Premier League team to score more than 100 goals in a season (103) with Didier Drogba and Lampard at the peak of their powers.

After finishing second in an inconsistent second season, Ancelotti fell foul of Abramovich's ruthless streak and was dismissed. When his time at Chelsea ended, he had a record of 67 wins, 20 draws and 22 losses in 109 matches, with a win percentage among the highest in Premier League history.

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5. Jurgen Klopp

The man who has restored Liverpool to the very top of the English and European game, Jurgen Klopp was the perfect fit when the club turned to him in 2015. It was a gradual process, but Klopp's Reds eventually emerged as the main challengers to Man City's dominance as a modern rivalry was born between the two clubs and their managers in the late 2010s.

With his high-tempo, Gegenpressing tactics, Klopp would eventually end Liverpool's agonising 30-year wait for a top-flight title in the Covid-affected 2019-20 season, with captain Jordan Henderson hoisting the trophy aloft at a near-empty Anfield.

That would prove to be Klopp's only league title before he shockingly stepped down in 2024, but his deep understanding of the club and connection with the fans, as well as his multiple triumphs in the cup competitions, mean he will go down as one of Liverpool's greatest-ever managers.

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4. Jose Mourinho

'The Special One'. Jose Mourinho disrupted the established order and propelled Chelsea to become regular challengers in the Premier League. With the swaggering, sneering manager in the dugout, the Blues were utterly dominant in his first two seasons as they claimed back-to-back league titles - including their first for 50 years - and sent out a message that their Abramovich-backed success would not be a flash in the pan.

Things would, of course, go awry, but Mourinho returned six years after his initial exit in 2007 and guided a brilliant Chelsea side to another league title in 2014-15, with Fabregas and Hazard among those to play a starring role.

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3. Arsene Wenger

Arsenal may have struggled in the latter part of his tenure, but Arsene Wenger remains one of the greatest managers to ever grace the Premier League. A man who arguably singlehandedly revolutionised the approach to football in England with his stylish, attractive brand of play and focus on a healthy lifestyle, the Gunners teams of the early 2000s absolutely oozed class.

The Frenchman's greatest achievement was undoubtedly the unbeaten season of 2003-04, as Arsenal's 'Invincibles' won the league title without losing a single game - a feat that may never be repeated. Wenger had claimed a first title in 2002, ending a period of Manchester United dominance.

He will always be revered in the red half of north London, with his technical philosophy now part of the fabric of the club and the benchmark for Arsenal teams ever since his arrival. Wenger has managed more Premier League games than anyone else with a ridiculous 828 - another achievement that is unlikely to ever be matched.

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2. Pep Guardiola

A modern-day football revolutionary, Pep Guardiola has overseen an era of utter dominance for Manchester City as the club has consolidated its place at English football's top table since the Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008.

With the caveat that they have been bankrolled by Sheikh Mansour's near-limitless wealth - signing the likes of Aguero, David Silva and Erling Haaland down the years - and the fact that 115 charges of financial misconduct hang over them, Guardiola has built the Premier League's latest dynasty at the Etihad Stadium to follow in the footsteps of legacy managers Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.

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1. Sir Alex Ferguson

Arguably the greatest manager football has ever witnessed, Sir Alex Ferguson remains the best in the modern history of the Premier League. The legendary former Manchester United boss won eight of his 13 league titles after the turn of the century, successfully adapting to respond to the respective rises of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City to ensure United continued to challenge.

Fiercely competitive, Ferguson was box office, too. His rivalry with Wenger was particularly bitter as two footballing philosophies clashed, producing some of the most iconic matches of all time on the pitch. The Scot's teams were often greater than the sum of all their parts, especially in the latter years of his reign.

- Krishan Davis