We take a look at the contenders to be the next manager of Leicester City as the pressure grows on Russell Martin.
Leicester have suffered back-to-back relegations in the last two years and Martin was appointed in the summer to lead the club back to the Championship.
However, the League One promotion contenders have got off to a poor start, with Martin already receiving a lot of criticism from supporters.
Here are our top five contenders to be the next Leicester manager in the event that the club decides to make a change.
Next Leicester Manager Contenders
Dave Challinor
Former Stockport County boss Dave Challinor is likely to have plenty of suitors in the EFL over the next few weeks.
Incredibly, Challinor has achieved a play-off finish or better in each of his 15 full seasons as a manager.
He left Stockport following their League One play-off final defeat to Bolton Wanderers in May and remains out of work.
Darren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson was one of the favourites for the Leicester job before they opted for Martin in the summer.
The 54-year-old boasts a wealth of experience in the EFL and he would arrive with multiple League One promotions on his CV.
Ferguson has been out of work since being sacked at Peterborough United in October 2025.
Neil Lennon
Former Leicester midfielder Neil Lennon is currently in charge of Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic.
Lennon made over 170 league appearances for Leicester during his playing career and his appointment would be a popular one in the East Midlands.
The 55-year-old led Celtic to the league title on five occasions and he may want another crack at English football.
Richie Wellens
Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens is another manager who used to play for Leicester.
Wellens led Orient to the League One play-off final two seasons ago but last season saw a disappointing 20th-placed finish.
He may feel that he has taken the club as far as he can go and he might relish the challenge that Leicester would provide.
Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough has been manager of Mansfield Town since November 2020.
He took over with the club struggling in League Two and last season he guided Mansfield to their best league finish since 1987 when they finished 10th in League One.
Clough would provide a safe pair of hands and he is used to football in the East Midlands after playing for Nottingham Forest, before managing Derby County.
