The current soccer manager is not working

Even the best managers are waiting for the right opportunity to spend time from the game and rekind their careers, while others want a break from the high octane life of being a top-level boss.

Some of the prominent managers who find themselves missing their jobs could be options to replace Premier League clubs and people under pressure across the continent.

Here, Football Fancast looks at a selection of active managers who are currently out of work.

1

Massimiliano Alegri

Last Work: Juventus (May 2024)

Veteran Italian coach Masimiliano Alegri has a glittering resume. Not only did he win six Serie A titles across the Juventus and Milan spells, but the 57-year-old also won five Coppa Italia trophies.

Surely a back-to-back winner, but Allegri left the old lady at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, but still had no work and became one of the standout options on this list.

2

Francesco Fallioli

Last job: Ajax (May 2025)

Francesco Farioli has already taken his early career to Türkiye, France and the Netherlands in recent years, making his early career quietly and promising manager.

His recent spell at Ajax was on the verge of the Eredivisy title for the Dutch giants, but a sensational collapse made him win only one of the last five games, showing that PSV was in command in one stage.

Fariori resigned in the aftermath of a dramatic season conclusion despite playing in the Champions League.

3

Jurgen Klopp

Last Work: Liverpool (May 2024)

Jurgen Klopp called time in 2024 with a stunning nine-year stay at Liverpool, and after winning the club’s sixth European Cup last year, he restored it as the British champion in 2019/20.

Klopp then took on a role at Red Bull and was appointed global football manager in early 2025. Since then, he has linked to the vacancies in Rome, where he recently said goodbye to Claudio Lanieri.

However, Klopp claimed that he had run out of energy at the Liverpool exit, so perhaps he’ll still take a little while before he decides on his next coaching role.

4

Julen Lopetegu

Last Work: West Ham United (January 2025)

Julen Lopetegui has been unemployed since being let go of West Ham United in early 2025 and has been unable to improve Hammer’s fate after replacing David Moet at London Stadium.

The Spanish resume, the winner of Sevilla’s Europa League, is impressive, and previously exhibited management talent in the Premier League with the Wolves, perhaps a better matchup will bring out the best of Ex-Real Madrid and Spanish bosses.

5

Thiago Motta

Last Work: Juventus (March 2025)

Thiago Motta announced himself in the management world in 2023/24 by piloting Bologna to an unlikely Champions League location. His success led him to join Juventus, who had parted ways with Massimiliano Alegri.

However, his spell as Bianconeri’s boss was overwhelming and was rejected under threat with a desire to qualify for the Champions League, but the European campaign also struggled, ending the playoff round to PSV.

Motta was fired in March as the Serie A results continued to be disappointed.

6

Marco Rose

Last Work: RB Leipzig (March 2025)

Marco Rose had a relatively checkered history when it came to success in the dugout.

After enjoying the league success at Red Bull Salzburg, Rose mixed with his latest clubs at Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.

During his tenure, he has mixed Champions League qualifications and mid-table finishes, and in the 2024/25 campaign, RB Leipzig was unable to break out of the Champions League league phase and saw no drop-off in the form of the Bundesliga. As a result, he is looking for a fifth job in eight years.

7

Roger Schmidt

Last Work: Benfica (August 2024)

Roger Schmidt has been working since leaving Benfica in August 2024. Over two seasons with the Portuguese side, Germany led the club to a league title in the Maiden campaign and also won the Portuguese Super Cup.

Benfica only finished second last year, falling behind Sports CP. After scoring 7 points from 12 in the 2024/25 campaign, Schmidt left the club.

He’s not a stranger to the pressure to manage the topside, enjoying the PSV and Bayer Leverkusen spells, but it’s still unclear where he’s going next.

8

Gareth Southgate

Last Job: England (July 2024)

Gareth Southgate resigned after eight years as manager of England and took him twice to the brink of Europe’s glory.

The end of the European Championship campaign in the summer of 2024 brought the end of his tenure, with Southgate calling for time after securing two runner-up medals since 1990 and his first World Cup semi-final.

He originally claimed it would take him a year to cut ties with the national team, despite his recent past links to vacant seats at Manchester United and former club Crystal Palace. Does that mean his next role is round the corner?

9

Erik Ten Hag

Last Job: Manchester United (October 2024)

Erik Ten Hag was plundered by the second FA Cup with Manchester United, who led him to a League Cup victory in his first season, but not enough to save his job.

The third and eighth Premier League finishes proved to be those that Ten Hag had been judged. He added the fact that in 2023/24, Old Trafford side ended the bottom of the Champions League group.

Perhaps a spell at a low-pressure club will allow him to restore his reputation. That being said, he is tied to a vacant role at Bayer Leverkusen in May, and Xabi Alonso recently left the Bundesliga club in Germany.

10

Edintelzic

Last Work: Borussia Dortmund (June 2024)

Edin Terzic led Borussia Dortmund to a surprising appearance in the 2023/24 Champions League final. A 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid was likely expected, but it seemed possible that a new era on the German side could be reached.

Just a week later, Terzic left Dortmund after being in charge of three seasons with two separate spells. Still a young business perspective, he could be the ideal candidate for major jobs that are open to Europe.