Chaos of the Soccer Manager Transfer Market

As the 2023-2024 season comes to an end, it is time for teams to rebuild as they prepare for the next season. Usually, the transfer market draws robust attention because of players getting sold and going on loans; however, this summer’s transfer window will be a huge market for managers as they are leaving left and right, creating chaos and opportunity for teams trying to snatch one.

Hansi Flick

The former Bayern Munich and Germany coach looks for a new challenge this upcoming season as he has been named Barcelona’s new head coach. Agreeing to a two-year deal with the club, German manager Hansi Flick comes in to rebuild and replace Xavi Hernandez after he got fired from Barcelona. Following Barça’s disappointing trophyless finish in the 2023-2024 season, Flick comes in to revitalize the squad with his counter-press and possession-dominant style of soccer. With Barcelona in need of an experienced manager who knows how to win, Flick is the perfect fit to take on this challenge.

Vincent Kompany 

After 11 straight years of winning the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich failed to capture the title this year due to a lackluster performance from Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern side. Looking for a change, the club appointed Vincent Kompany, the manager who brought Burnley into the Premier League, but also the one who brought them back down the very next season. Despite the lack of experience, Kompany took control of the German superpower with a fast-tempo game and high-pressing system, which was a success for Burnley in the EFL Championship. As Kompany steps in, this role could be a huge obstacle for the Belgian manager as he manages one of the biggest clubs in the world after only a year in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho 

Unlike some of the other clubs that didn’t live up to preseason expectations, Fenerbahçe had a strong season as they finished second in the Turkish Super Lig with 99 points, the most points they have earned in the last decade, and advanced to the Europa Conference League quarterfinals. Even with the lack of trophies, this could be seen as a decent season for the club. However, this wasn’t enough for the club, which fired manager Ismail Kartal and instated legendary manager Jose Mourinho to replace him. After three long successful seasons at Roma, Mourinho left after a disappointing sixth-place finish. Now taking on a new challenge, the two-time Champions League winner joins the Turkish side to make history.

Paulo Fonseca 

After a trophyless season, AC Milan looks to rebuild under Paulo Fonseca, the former LOSC Lille manager. The Italian giant chose to approach Fonseca as their primary option among many options, leaving the fans disappointed. They criticize Fonseca because of his inability to create end products with trophies as his only shine was in the Ukrainian League. However, with his possession-dominant style, Fonseca created big impacts on teams he managed, such as LOSC Lille in the French League, as he brought them from 10th to fifth place in just a season. With the potential he has shown, it will be important to keep an eye out for Fonseca’s AC Milan next season.

Thiago Motta 

Despite securing Champions League soccer for Bologna with their fifth-place finish, a huge accomplishment for the Italian club as they usually finish mid-table and have not played European soccer in the last decade, manager Thiago Motta has decided not to renew his contract. Although Motta doesn’t have much experience managing an Italian giant like Juventus, his style of rotations and interchanges of players such as midfielders for wingers shows how Juventus could use an attack-centered coach since the club only scored 52 goals in the 2023-2024 season, with their lead goal-scorer being Weston McKennie, a midfielder.

Antonio Conte 

After winning the Serie A for the first time in 33 years, Napoli conquered Italy in the 2022-2023 season. However, exactly one season later, Napoli went through turmoil as they lost key members like centerback Kim Min Jae and even sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli. Napoli struggled and finished in tenth place as they went into the season without a replacement for these key players. This led the board to fire Francesco Calzona and appoint the Italian favorite: Antonio Conte. This appointment was a surprise since Conte has previously managed Inter Milan and Juventus, rivals of Napoli. Also, he is known for his defensive style of play, where he relies on counter-attacking soccer, which is the opposite of what Napoli is known for doing well. Even with these mismatches, Conte is a world-class manager who changes the team completely into a team that can play under his style, making Conte a great fit for this Napoli side.

Enzo Maresca 

As Chelsea fired Mauricio Pochettino immediately after the last day of the season, there were many questions about this decision as Pochettino was getting the team in good shape for next season. Then came Enzo Maresca, the Italian manager who brought Leicester City back up to the Premier League. Although he may not have much coaching experience in the top leagues, he was a former assistant manager under Pep Guardiola, learning from the master of tiki-taka and possession. This is evident in his philosophy of relying heavily on inverted fullbacks and playing a possession style of soccer. With Chelsea’s surge in form in the second half of the season, Maresca could be the final piece for Chelsea to be one of the greats again. 

Arne Slot 

The most shocking news comes from Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp has decided to leave after spending nine years at the club. The serial trophy winner ended up only winning the Carabao Cup in his last run with the Reds, screwing up the Premier League in the last few matches of the season, and getting knocked out of the Europa League in the quarterfinals by Atalanta. Replacing the legendary manager is Arne Slot, former manager of Feyenoord. During his time in the Dutch league, Slot has won silverware annually, making him experienced in winning. His emphasis on possession-based build-up shows his attacking style of play, a necessity in Liverpool. Slot is a great addition to the English club since both play very attack-focused soccer.

This summer manager transfer window is one of the most important windows of all time due to the number of managers in the top European leagues leaving. Big names such as Hansi Flick and Jose Mourinho start the list as teams are trying to take advantage of this market to sign the best manager available. As managers are switching teams like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, be on the lookout for your team’s manager; they might be on the transfer market as well.