Leeds United have confirmed this week that Sam Allardyce will not remain at the club beyond his short spell and now reports are suggesting that the club already have a list of replacements lined up.
What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Steven Gerrard?
According to The Telegraph, Steven Gerrard is one of the managers that Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani is eyeing up ahead of their return to the Championship.
As per the report, the former Aston Villa and Rangers boss is one of three potential suitors named and it is understood that Gerrard is interested in leading the Leeds squad next season.
Would Steven Gerrard be the right fit for Leeds?
It will come as no surprise that Gerrard is not only linked with the vacant job but is also keen on taking up the position, whilst he continues to carve out a career in management; the Leeds role could be too big of an opportunity to ignore in a bid to rebuild his reputation in English football.
The Liverpool legend seemed like he was destined for rapid recognition as a top up-and-coming manager following his impressive stint at Rangers where he won the club's first Scottish Premiership title in a decade whilst going invincible and made an instant positive impact on Aston Villa when he replaced Dean Smith at Villa Park mid-season.
However, after securing a 14th-place finish in the 2021/22 season and being significantly financially backed by the club's hierarchy, the 43-year-old failed to retain the high expectations set and his outstanding reputation was damaged faster than it took to build, resulting in his dismissal just 11 months into the Villa job.
Now there is a real opportunity for Radrizzani to snap up the services of a manager who has undeniable star quality in order to attract top talent to Elland Road this summer, whilst Gerrard will be looking for the right move in his pursuit to clean the stain marked against his managerial career.
It will also be incredibly important for the Leeds squad to bring in someone who can provide good man-management and build a positive culture in the dressing room after a difficult period for the Whites, and Gerrard's approachability has been one attribute that has often been hailed.
Former Rangers and England striker Jermaine Defoe heaped huge compliments on his ex-manager's approach to managing players during an interview with talkSPORT (via The Mirror):
"It’s a funny one because when I signed for Rangers, obviously you have a bit of banter in the changing room and the lads saying about how I’m pals with the gaffer and stuff like that, but he’s a natural.
"He’s approachable, which is really important as a manager.
"But with Steven, you can talk to him about anything. He reminds me a little bit of Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce where you can just approach them and speak about anything."
With that being said, Gerrard could play a key role in not only attracting the right players but also retaining a number of players who have their futures on the fence at present, so securing the Premier League Hall of Fame inductee as soon as possible would put Leeds in a great position to have a positive pre-season and transfer window.
The arrival of the former England star could be what Radrizzani needs to get Elland Road rocking again as the Yorkshire giants embark on a disappointing return to the second-tier.