Senior football correspondentPublished23 April 2026, 16:51 BSTUpdated 8 minutes agoThis summer is shaping up to be one of managerial uncertainty and upheaval at the end of a season in which 10 Premier League bosses have already left their jobs.
Liam Rosenior was the most recent of those - sacked by Chelsea earlier this week after three months in charge.
Looking ahead to the summer, there are questions around the long-term futures of Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Fulham's Marco Silva, while Liverpool boss Arne Slot and Newcastle counterpart Eddie Howe have come under scrutiny.
Beyond that, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Manchester United need to make appointments. Bournemouth have already done that by luring Marco Rose, but current Cherries boss Andoni Iraola is now on the market.
There are also a number of top World Cup managers who could come on the market, and others such as former Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso looking for their next move.
Senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel analyses an intense manager market as it stands, and discovers that uncertainty is the key word.
Let's start with those three clubs definitely needing a new manager - Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Manchester United.
Michael Carrick has done his chances of securing the United job on a full-time basis no harm at all while working on an interim basis since Ruben Amorim's dismissal.
And their expected Champions League qualification will only serve to strengthen his claims to become the club's next permanent boss.
Players are responding to the former United and England midfielder's methods and have recorded some impressive results during his reign.
The club want their next manager to be a good coach but also someone with character and charisma to cope with the scrutiny that comes with the job.
As impressive as Carrick has been, he does not have the sort of experience of managing a club the size of United some inside the club believe to be a necessary component of their next boss.
If the appointment of a proven, big-name manager becomes achievable, United could yet pivot but, as things stand, Carrick is a strong candidate.
Elsewhere, Rosenior's sacking means Chelsea's US owners need to appoint a fifth full-time manager since their arrival in 2022.
Chelsea insist they are not in active discussions with any candidates at this moment, though it is understood internal discussions over their priority targets are under way.
Landing their preferred candidates may be easier said than done, though, with a number of industry sources indicating the difficulties predecessors have run into over recruitment in recent years may mean top managers are reluctant.
Iraola is expected to be high on the club's final shortlist of candidates given his excellent work at Bournemouth while Fulham boss Silva is another who is likely to be discussed if he decides not to renew his contract.
Edin Terzic - a contender for the Athletic Bilbao vacancy, Alonso and Cesc Fabregas may also emerge as candidates, while the club are mindful of Howe's potential availability this summer.
Oliver Glasner has already confirmed he will be leaving Crystal Palace this summer, and the club are well down the line of completing checks on potential replacements.
BBC Sport revealed in January that Palace had an interest in Iraola, and that remains.
The Spaniard is viewed internally as one of their lead targets. He is aware of Palace's interest, and the Eagles are still of the belief they have a good chance of appointing the 43-year-old.
Should he agree to the move, Palace would be prepared to give Iraola heavy influence on the club's recruitment strategy.
Sources have indicated that Coventry boss Frank Lampard, former Brentford and Spurs manager Thomas Frank, Ipswich counterpart Kieran McKenna and Sean Dyche - most recently of Nottingham Forest - are also among the contenders.
It is understood Dyche would have been a serious contender to replace Glasner had the Austrian been dismissed earlier this year.
How do Premier League managerial changes compare to other seasons?
Nowhere is this clearer than in the case of Slot, who less than a year after winning the league is coming under mounting scrutiny from sections of the club's fanbase.
The soundings emerging from Anfield are that Slot's position is safe despite a trophyless season.
Should they decide to call time, former Reds midfielder Alonso's instant availability may be a tempting option - but the fact Slot is part of Liverpool's planning for the summer provides a further indication the Dutchman is expected to remain in charge.
At Newcastle, Howe's future has emerged as the most prevalant narrative heading into the final weeks of the season.
Key players are expected to leave before the club can strengthen, and the summer is likely to be a tricky one to navigate in terms of player trading.
Howe is revered by supporters, but it is understood there is a degree of disappointment at the club with how the season has gone.
Newcastle are estimated to have the eighth largest wage bill in the Premier League but after losing four consecutive matches are 14th in the tbale.
Howe has credit in the bank and retains the backing of the club's hierarchy but whether that continues remains to be seen.
The pair with uncertain futuresImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Marco Silva is out of contract this summer, while Pep Guardiola's deal expires at the end of next season
Manchester City overhauling Arsenal at the top of the Premier League has happened amid a backdrop of uncertainty over their legendary manager's future.
Guardiola's current deal expires at the end of the next season, and the football industry is awash with speculation he is preparing to walk away.
City want Guardiola to renew beyond the end of his contract but accept that scenario is unlikely. They are aware of the prospect of Guardiola's reign coming to an end this season and are prepared for that - but will he leave this summer or next?
At Fulham, Silva's contract expires at the end of June and, as things stand, the club are yet to confirm whether he will renew.
At the start of April, well-placed BBC Sport sources indicated Silva had not informed the club of his decision.
Silva is represented by well-known agent Jorge Mendes, who is understood to have been exploring potential alternatives for his client.
The prospect of Silva's position becoming vacant has alerted a number of potential candidates who would be interested in replacing him.
The identities of those who succeed or fail at the World Cup this summer may also impact the managerial landscape before next season.
England's Thomas Tuchel, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, US manager Mauricio Pochettino, France boss Didier Deschamps and Germany's Julian Naglesmann are among those contracted to teams who are preparing for the tournament.
You would imagine going deep into the World Cup would impact the prospect of any of those managers returning to club football in the close season.
But should any of their teams have disappointing tournaments, it may open the door for clubs in England and Europe.
It is also pertinent to mention that those clubs may include Real Madrid, with Alvaro Arbeloa's future in doubt.
And if Guardiola does leave City, expect Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany, who remains a hero at the Etihad, to be among the contenders to replace him.
