Who will be next Arsenal manager? Ljungberg, Marcelino, Rodgers & the candidates to replace Emery

With the Gunners seeking a new face to lead them out of the mire, Goal takes a look at the possibilities

Posted Saturday, November 30, 2019 by Goal.com

Arsenal are weighing up the options following their decision to sack Unai Emery and there are plenty of potential candidates for the role of Gunners head coach.

While Emery managed to get Arsenal to the Europa League final, the Spaniard struggled to make any sort of meaningful impact on the club's league standing and they missed out on Champions League football.

Propelling the north London outfit back up the Premier League table will be the task that awaits Emery's successor - a considerable undertaking, no doubt, but there are coaches out there up to the task.

Goal takes a look at the candidates who could be in line to be the next Arsenal manager.

Freddie Ljungberg

An Arsenal favourite, Freddie Ljungberg has been told to steady the ship as interim head coach following Emery's departure.

While that's initially a short-term brief, he would do his chances of earning the job on a permanent basis no harm if he can put the right results on the board.

Indeed, on taking the reins, the Swede tweeted: "However long I oversee Arsenal for I will give everything I have to put smiles on faces again.

"We have a busy few weeks ahead and the team needs your support. Let’s get to work!"

Marcelino

Arsenal could well look to Spain again for the solution to their managerial woes and Goal has learned that the Gunners have made contact with former Valencia boss Marcelino.

Recently dismissed from his post, Marcelino led Los Che to a Copa del Rey trophy in 2018-19 by beating Barcelona in the final.

As well as coaching Valencia, Marcelino spent time at the helm of Villarreal, keeping them at the top end of La Liga and reaching the Europa League semi-finals in 2015-16.

He has also managed Real Zaragoza and Sevilla, but his experience with both clubs was forgettable.

Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has been linked with the Arsenal job in the past and his recent successes with Leicester City have seen his name dropped into the mix once again.

However, the Irishman appears to have poured cold water on the speculation by emphasising his commitment to the challenge he is currently undertaking.

“There’s always a number of names," Rodgers told reporters.

"We’re at the beginning of something here. My relationship with the people here and the players is very strong. We think we are starting something exciting."

Despite Rodgers' comments, it's well known that actors in the world of football are always capable of producing a surprise U-turn!

Mauricio Pochettino

He couldn't, surely?

Mauricio Pochettino has been touted as a possible replacement for Emery ever since the Argentine's dismissal by Tottenham and it would certainly divide opinion if he were to get the job.

Pochettino worked wonders at Spurs and was the man who inspired them to surpass their north London rivals in recent years, so it would be something of a bittersweet appointment.

However, his previous pronouncements on the matter - saying he'd rather "work on [his] farm in Argentina" - suggest that it's unlikely.

Carlo Ancelotti

If you want to restore a team to its former glory and scale the heights of European football once more, who better for the task than Carlo Ancelotti?

The Italian coach, who managed the Gunners' London rivals Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2010, has a long list of honours attached to his name, including Champions League titles with AC Milan and Real Madrid.

Ancelotti is currently head coach of Napoli, but he is enduring a difficult time with the club and, according to the Telegraph, is one of Arsenal's targets.

Massimiliano Allegri

Former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is currently without a job, but remains in high demand across Europe and could be tempted with a Premier League switch.

Allegri led Juve to five consecutive Serie A titles and two Champions League finals, as well as previously winning the Scudetto with AC Milan during his early coaching days.

Eddie Howe

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has drawn admiring glances from a number of top clubs in recent years and is highly regarded.

His work with the Cherries may not have the same sort of sheen that the CVs of some continental candidates possess, but he has shown his ability to nurture talent and create environments where players can far exceed expectations.

Nuno Espirito Santo

Before the axe finally dropped on Emery, Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo was identified as the bookmakers' favourite to take over as Arsenal's next manager.

The odds, of course, are in flux, but Nuno's work with the Molineux club - masterminding promotion to the Premier League and then Europa League qualification - has boosted his stock.

The former Porto boss favours an expansive, exciting brand of football too and that would naturally appeal to the Gunners faithful.

Mikel Arteta

When it came time for Arsene Wenger to relinquish his hold on Arsenal, the Frenchman's former captain Mikel Arteta was a surprise candidate to succeed him.

It didn't happen on that occasion and Arteta has flourished as Pep Guardiola's second-in-command at Manchester City, but the time may come for him to step up.

Indeed, when asked about the chances of Arteta moving on to the big seat elsewhere, Guardiola conceded it would happen "sooner or later".

“He’s a young manager, he’s 37, so he is so young but he has experience already to handle big players and teams and when it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen," said the Catalan coach.

Patrick Vieira

Arguably Arsenal's greatest ever captain, Patrick Vieira has been touted for the role of Gunners boss in years gone by and the time could be right for a triumphant return.

Having cut his teeth at Manchester City as a youth team coach, Vieira has since gone on to manage Major League Soccer outfit New York City and is now at the helm of Ligue 1 side Nice.

Such an appointment would see Arsenal follow the approach of Chelsea and Manchester United, who opted for club icons in Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer respectively.