A wingsuited Jurgen Klopp to fly back into the Premier League? The ex-Liverpool manager is one of the interims for every club…
Some coaches are carving out a nice caretaker niche for themselves, while other clubs would probably play on the heritage factor when they need someone to take the reins.
Here’s who we predict as every Premier League club’s next interim manager…
Arsenal – Per Mertesacker
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The big German ticks all the boxes as a distinguished ex-player with hands-on experience working within the current set-up. If Arsenal follow second again with a ropey start next season, we can absolutely see Mertesacker returning a few months after leaving his academy job to steer the Gunners through the confusing early days of the post-Arteta era.
Aston Villa – Darius Vassell
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Unai Emery has hand-picked the Villa leadership team so the Spaniard would have to do something spectacularly wrong to get the bullet. But, should that day come, Vassell is already there on the staff, waiting for a chance to prove himself as a senior coach.
Bournemouth – Tommy Elphick
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The ex-Bournemouth skipper has assisted Gary O’Neil and Andoni Iraola, and the Cherries model means he will likely assist Marco Rose too. Then replace him for a fortnight when Bournemouth struggle to shake off the post-Iraola hangover.
Brentford – Jordan Henderson
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There’s no one in the Premier League better at pointing and shouting than Henderson, so this is nailed on when the Bees players tune out from Keith Andrews, which is entirely possible at some point next season given the modern player’s attention span.
Brighton – Andrew Crofts
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Crofts has done pretty much every job possible at Brighton, including a stint as interim manager between Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi in 2022. Perhaps next time they will let him oversee a game too.
Burnley – Mike Jackson
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Scott Parker’s assistant has already had a go at being a caretaker and he wasn’t half-bad. When he stepped in to guide the Clarets through to the end of the 2021/22 season after they sacked Sean Dyche, he won three, drew one of his first four games, prompting a Manager of the Month nomination. Then they didn’t win again through the final four games and went down anyway. But if Burnley ever need a quick hit, Jackson’s their man.
Chelsea – Calum McFarlane
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**[Surely now set for six-year deal after one win](https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-chelsea-leeds-enzo-fernandez-votes-with-feet)**, McFarlane is on his second stint of probably four or five by the time he’s finished at Chelsea.
Crystal Palace – Paddy McCarthy
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McCarthy, like McFarlane, is two caretaker stints in, serving between Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson in 2023 before taking the wheel for a 1-1 draw at Everton while Oliver Glasner got his bearings.
Everton – Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman
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The Toffees legends formed a caretaker duo at the start of 2025, Baines stepping up from an assistant role while Coleman crossed back over the white line to oversee an FA Cup win over Peterborough in the wake of Dyche’s departure. Neither’s circumstances have changed, so we might expect to see them team up again if Everton get off to an iffy start next season.
Fulham – Tom Cairney
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Captain, leader, interim manager when Marco Silva finally gets tempted away.
Leeds United – Jurgen Klopp
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Red Bull will drop Klopp into Elland Road – hopefully in a wingsuit – to keep things ticking over when they finally get the excuse they have been looking for to sack Daniel Farke.
Liverpool – Steven Gerrard
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**[This felt a genuine possibility in recent months](https://www.football365.com/news/gerrard-hints-interim-liverpool-role-slot-sack-talk)** but Slot seems to have clung on at least until the end of the season. No matter. We get the sense Gerrard will always be hovering whenever there’s a sniff of even the temporary gig.
Manchester City – Pep Lijnders
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Never be the man that follows The Man. So when Pep Guardiola goes and his replacement struggles just because he’s not the best coach in the world, Lijnders will step in. Perhaps next season.
Manchester United – Darren Fletcher
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It feels like Fletcher will be kept around Old Trafford if for no other reason than to buy INEOS some thinking time before their next wrong move.
Newcastle United – Steve Harper
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Jason Tindall will always hold Eddie Howe’s hand, no matter the lure of the spotlight in the top job, so when both are mutually consented early next season, ex-Newcastle goalkeeper Harper will step up from his academy director role.
Nottingham Forest – Andy Reid
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Evangelos Marinakis doesn’t faff about with caretaker managers – his last five appointments were made without the unnecessary fuss of an interim – but if Victor Pereira makes what might be perceived as a wrong move without the owner having his next victim lined up, ex-Forest midfielder Reid is ready to step up. Assuming he would rather not prefer to stay in the background, which might be key to longevity at the City Ground.
Sunderland – Granit Xhaka
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Xhaka seems to have the Midas touch on Wearside, so maybe he steps up when Regis Le Bris gets lured away to somewhere he’ll never be loved like he is now.
Tottenham Hotspur – Ryan Mason
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Forever Ryan Mason. Cristian Romero and Micky van der Ven tried, but they will probably be gone in the summer.
West Ham – Mark Noble
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He has to do something, right? Right now he’s said to be serving as sporting director but it was reported he hasn’t got an office and has no say in recruitment. Noble is even more anonymous than most in football’s least accountable position. But doubtless he’d fancy himself if there’s a game or two to be managed.
Wolves – James Collins
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We shouldn’t judge Collins based on his one game in caretaker charge earlier this season – a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge – when Wolves looked a good bet to be the Premier League’s worst ever and Chelsea weren’t quite the complete basket case they have become.