The Great Manager Shuffle: Who's First Through the Exit Door in 2026/27?

What a summer it's been for the revolving door. Last season saw more managerial comings and goings than most campaigns, with Nottingham Forest's owner managing to get through more bosses than most clubs shift in a decade. Chelsea's twin departures suddenly looked positively restrained by comparison.

The upshot? We're heading into 2026/27 with one of the most unsettled managerial landscapes in recent memory. Three of the so-called Big Six have brand new faces, and five of that elite group are managing in their first year. It's vertiginous stuff.

Roberto De Zerbi's arrival at Spurs in March already makes him the 12th longest-serving manager in the division. Only six clubs haven't changed their manager in the past two years. Buckle up, then, for the annual guessing game: who'll be the first to go?

The Safe Havens

Mikel Arteta sits comfortably at the top of the longevity rankings and, more importantly, the safety stakes. Arsenal's title-race disappointment aside, they're well-positioned to challenge again, and their European prospects look genuinely promising. The man remains firmly planted just outside his technical area.

David Moyes has settled back at Everton like he never left, despite it being merely 18 months since his appointment. Mid-table contentment suits all parties. The Toffees rarely stay the course with such sensible thinking, though, so there's always that nagging anxiety.

Unai Emery continues to perform miracles at Aston Villa, though the summer's business will prove telling. The fear persists that a bigger club might come calling, or that the relentless grind of European competition will eventually wear him down.

The Interesting Middle Ground

Fabian Hurzeler represents something of an oddity—a 1990s-born manager in a division dominated by Gen Xers. He's embarking on his third consecutive season with Brighton and doing rather well at it, which places him in rarefied company.

Marco Rose arrives at Bournemouth as a fresh face, though one whose name has been bandied about English football for years. The advantage he'll enjoy is time. Andoni Iraola's disastrous Bournemouth start taught the club patience, and they'll likely extend Rose that courtesy too.

Andoni Iraola's move to Liverpool represents a genuine gamble. His tenure at Bournemouth was defined by streaks—brilliant runs interspersed with alarming slumps. He's currently riding an 18-match unbeaten streak but came through an 11-match winless run to get there. At Anfield, such inconsistency becomes far more visible and far less forgivable.

Michael Carrick faces the real test now. Last season's success came partly because he inherited chaos and could implement obvious improvements—not least by simply picking Kobbie Mainoo. More significantly, he benefited from managing just one game weekly. That luxury evaporates this season, replaced by the full four-front assault. It could unravel quickly.

The Wildcards

Regis Le Bris sits just outside genuine danger territory, though second-season syndrome whispers ominously. A European adventure could become a burden rather than a blessing.

Keith Andrews at Brentford faces similar concerns, though far less dramatically. The club's continuity and lack of European distraction should keep him well clear of trouble.

Xabi Alonso at Chelsea represents genuine intrigue. He's genuinely exciting yet genuinely unproven at the top level. Chelsea could look title challengers by January or find themselves struggling in 12th after a seven-game winless run by November. Anything seems possible.

Daniel Farke at Leeds must navigate a tricky path. Failure through relegation remains possible, but so does success creating problems. A comfortable mid-table finish might prompt the club's ambitions to turn upwards, potentially destabilising his position.

Enzo Maresca inherits the impossible job at Manchester City. He's a very good coach, certainly, but he isn't Pep Guardiola, and that matters more than it should. His tendency to psychologically self-sabotage Chelsea's title challenges won't wash at the Etihad.

Alvaro Arbeloa to Fulham carries a similar energy to Alonso's Chelsea move—uncertainty wrapped in intrigue. Marco Silva's long tenure made Fulham comfortable; his absence creates genuine unknowns.

The Pressure Points

Roberto De Zerbi at Spurs represents the season's great chaos agent. Tottenham have spent eye-watering sums reshaping their defence and midfield, bringing in a £185 million pairing, top-tier centre-backs, and Andy Robertson's experience. It could be magnificent. It could also blow up spectacularly, because this is Spurs. De Zerbi has managed only one club beyond 100 games in his career—Sassuolo, where he stayed between 2018 and 2021. That's not exactly a comfort blanket for a club placing enormous faith in radical transformation.

Pierre Sage arrives at Crystal Palace with impressive credentials from Lens, where he guided them to second in Ligue 1 and a Coupe de France triumph. Replacing Oliver Glasner—who delivered two major trophies to a club that had never won any in over a century—remains a monumental task. French success doesn't automatically translate to English football, though.

Oliver Glasner's move to Nottingham Forest is undoubtedly a coup, but it's Nottingham Forest under Mr Marinakis. Anything can happen at any time. The manager could theoretically depart before the season even kicks off.

The Promoted Clubs Face the Gauntlet

Eddie Howe's Newcastle position grows increasingly precarious. His summer has been harrowing—losing Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali while watching circling vultures eye Bruno Guimaraes. Incoming talent looks underwhelming, with established departures making way for promising youth. Newcastle's 12th-place finish last season was both desperately disappointing and incredibly difficult to improve upon. If this season doesn't start well, the pressure will mount quickly.

Gary O'Neil inherits Ipswich's top-flight return, following Kieran McKenna's successful groundwork. The classic promoted-side narrative applies: victims of their own success, with limited room for error.

Frank Lampard at Coventry has earned genuine credit for orchestrating their return. At least he's not the favourite to depart first.

The Favourite

Sergej Jakirovic at Hull speaks contentedly about new contracts and feeling at home. He's expressed complete confidence in reaching agreement with the chairman. History suggests such serenity rarely survives October intact.