Ex- Liverpool boss Rogers in sensational EPL return with Leicester

Brendan Rodgers is set to move back to the Premier League after agreeing a deal to become Leicester City’s new manager.

The Foxes axed Claude Puel after Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Crystal Palace and identified the Carnlough man as the ideal replacement at the team currently 12th in the Premier League table.

Rodgers’ assistant Chris Davies, coach Kolo Toure and fitness coach Glenn Driscoll are all expected to move with the boss after Rodgers agreed terms at the King Power Stadium. Celtic are understood to be set to pocket £6m in compensation.

In a sensational return to Glasgow, Neil Lennon is expected to take over at the Hoops. Coach John Kennedy will take charge for Wednesday’s Premiership trip to Hearts and will then assist Lennon. It has been reported that the Lurgan man had been due to fly to Qatar on Tuesday afternoon for media work but has now cancelled his trip.

Celtic confirmed on Tuesday morning that Rodgers is in discussions with the Foxes, the club ‘very reluctant’ to let him leave.

“Celtic Football Club today confirmed that it has been approached by Leicester City FC to speak to Brendan Rodgers with regards to their current managerial vacancy,” a club statement read.

“Brendan has indicated to the Club that this is an opportunity he wishes to investigate further and therefore, very reluctantly, the Club has granted him permission to speak to Leicester City.”

Rodgers previously managed Swansea City and Liverpool in England’s top tier. He guided Swansea to promotion from the Championship and sealed an 11th place finish in their first season in the top division. That earned a move to Liverpool, where Rodgers came within two points of ending the Reds’ long wait for a league title, losing out to Manchester City by just two points in the 13/14 season.

Celtic are currently closing in on their third treble in a row and it was originally thought the lure of such an historic feat would be enough to keep Rodgers in Glasgow until the summer.

The former Liverpool boss delivered the Scottish Premiership title as well as Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup wins in his first two seasons in charge.

The latter has already been stowed away at Celtic Park once again this season after the Hoops edged out Aberdeen in the final in December. Celtic are now eight points clear at the top of Premiership table and are safely through to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, giving Lennon the chance to seal two more trophies this season, should he step back into the hot-seat.

The Lurgan man left Hibernian last month and had said that he would be likely to move to England or abroad for his next job. He won five league titles with Celtic as a player and managed the club from 2010 to 2014, winning three league crowns before moving to Bolton.