Leeds United and Brendan Rodgers state of play amid Celtic hijack claim as job timeline emerges

Reports of a last-ditch Leeds United attempt to hijack Brendan Rodgers’ expected Celtic return are wide of the mark.

Rodgers’ managerial ability has long been admired at Elland Road and when thoughts turned to this summer’s appointment his was a name that featured prominantly. But the YEP understands that while Rodgers has not definitively turned the role down, nor has he met with the Whites and thus far hasn’t appeared keen on a return to the English second tier.

Leeds have been aware since the beginning of their manager hunt that Rodgers’ priority was a top flight opportunity. The Premier League has always felt like the Northern Irishman’s likeliest destination. Job openings in the Autumn are almost a certainty and Rodgers’ initial plan was thought to be a hiatus over the summer before he explored his options.

But his history with Celtic and a route back to the Premier League via the Scottish Premiership, one he has travelled before and one further evidenced by Steven Gerrard and Ange Postecoglou’s appointments by Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, seem to have drawn him back to the game earlier than planned. Leeds’ recruitment process has moved to the interview stage this week.

Ex-Norwich City boss Daniel Farke and West Brom manager Carlos Corberan, who previously took charge of Leeds Under 23s, have been under consideration during deliberations between CEO Angus Kinnear and incoming full owners 49ers Enterprises. The club expect to make an appointment next week and can then hone in on the restructure of their football operations and a summer squad rebuild. Players are set to return for pre-season on July 2.