A Leicester City-linked manager has left his current club as the Foxes look for a new manager ahead of the Premier League season. After returning Leicester City to the Premier League last season, Enzo Maresca accepted the managing position at Chelsea, leaving the Foxes with a vacancy to fill ahead of the upcoming season. Maresca led Leicester to a difficult promotion, despite finishing with a remarkable 97 points and the division’s best defensive record. It’s been 11 days since Pep Guardiola’s former assistant left, but interest in the 44-year-old began well before the leaving date.
With the Italian gone, Leicester City has attempted to set high standards in its managerial search, shortlisting coaches with Champions League experience, one of whom has recently left his current club. Edin Terzic, a Leicester City manager target, has left Borussia Dortmund. Terzic’s departure from the German giants was revealed on Thursday, following their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid.
Terzic made no indication that he was taking a break from management, despite Leicester City apparently wanting to hire the 41-year-old as a replacement for Maresca. Should Leicester City go all out and recruit Edin Terzic as manager? When considering Terzic for the top post, his achievements with Borussia Dortmund last season speak for themselves. He had to overcome stiff competition from PSG and Atletico Madrid to reach the final at Wembley Stadium, where they performed admirably against Carlo Ancelotti’s team. Despite these wins, Dortmund struggled in the Bundesliga, ending fifth, 27 points behind Bayer Leverkusen at the top.
Furthermore, the German coach’s lack of expertise in English football may speak loudly, given Leicester’s need for Premier League consolidation at the very least in the coming season. Terzic has two seasons of English football experience, having served as West Ham’s assistant manager in 2015. Regardless of league form, Terzic has the capacity to perform miracles at the King Power Stadium, as evidenced by his competition with Europe’s elite this season. This appointment will indicate that the Foxes intend to return to the Premier League in style.
Leicester City’s squad could look considerably different if Graham Potter is convinced to become their new manager. Enzo Maresca was hired manager of Leicester City after the team’s surprising relegation last summer, and he did an excellent job in leading the club to the Championship title. It was evident from watching Maresca’s team that he had worked closely with Pep Guardiola, as Maresca was the Manchester City coach’s assistant before taking the Leicester post. With Maresca leaving the Foxes following promotion to take the Chelsea post, Leicester have down their management selection to one clear candidate, Graham Potter.
Potter is thought to have qualms about taking the position, with a potential points deduction complicating matters, but has been impressed by the setup and squad during talks. Graham Potter’s departure from Chelsea would result in a change in Leicester City’s formation. However, prior to then, the English manager’s reputation had risen dramatically. Potter rose to prominence after leading his Osterstunds side to a Europa League quarterfinal match against Arsenal in 2018. He then went on to coach Swansea City and Brighton before being appointed as Todd Boehly’s first manager at Chelsea.
Potter is well-known for his tactical flexibility and has won Guardiola’s appreciation for the way he trains his teams, but if he were to take over at Leicester, he would most likely start with a back three. While his teams are known for changing formations numerous times during games and being extremely fluid in possession, Potter has tended to favour a 3-4-2-1 structure throughout his management career, and this is likely to be his starting point again at Leicester. This would be a big departure from Maresca’s 4-3-3 formation, in which inverted full-backs were crucial.
Potter’s appointment could include new Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s Position Potter is unconventional in terms of positions and functions. Players in a Potters team must be willing to play in a range of roles, with the former Chelsea manager believing that players should be able to follow a variety of directions. One of his most prevalent strategies is to play a playmaker, or the team’s most technically gifted player, as the deepest midfielder. One clear example was his employment of Adam Lallana at Brighton. Lallana, who joined from Liverpool, has spent the majority of his career playing as a number ten, the most advanced midfield position.
Potter, on the other hand, reimagined the England international as a holding midfielder, taking advantage of his passing ability and tight-space qualities. Alexis MacAllister and Pascal Gross both played similar roles while Potter was in charge of the Seagulls, and it’s possible that he’s already targeted Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for the current Leicester squad. Last season, Dewsbury-Hall scored 26 Championship goals and thrived in a more advanced role under Maresca. However, with Potter likely to want his side to take control of Premier League games, the 25-year-old might be deployed in a deeper role.
With that in mind, here’s how Leicester could line up under Potter next season, including two players the club may try to sign this summer.
