Even the best managers spend time out of the game, with some waiting for the right opportunity to reignite their careers, while others just want a break from the high-octane life of being a top-level boss.
Several high-profile managers who find themselves out of work could be options for clubs in the Premier League and across the continent to replace those under pressure.
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Here, Football FanCast takes a look at a selection of active managers who are out of work at the moment.
1 Massimiliano Allegri Last job: Juventus (May 2024)
The veteran Italian coach Massimiliano Allegri has a glittering CV. Not only has he won six Serie A titles across spells at Juventus and Milan, but the 57-year-old has won five Coppa Italia trophies, too.
A serial winner indeed, but Allegri left the Old Lady at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and is still without work, making him one of the standout options on this list.
2 Francesco Farioli Last job: Ajax (May 2025)
Francesco Farioli has been quietly making his name as an up-and-coming manager in recent years, with his early career already taking him to Turkey, France and the Netherlands.
His most recent spell at Ajax had the Dutch giants on the brink of an Eredivisie title, but a sensational collapse saw them win just one of their final five games to let PSV – who themselves had a commanding lead at one stage – off the hook.
Farioli resigned in the aftermath of their dramatic season conclusion despite qualifying for the Champions League.
3 Jurgen Klopp Last job: Liverpool (May 2024)
Jurgen Klopp called time on his dazzling nine-year stay at Liverpool in 2024, leaving the club having restored them as champions of England in 2019/20 after earning their sixth European Cup a year earlier.
Klopp has since taken up a role at Red Bull, where he was appointed as global head of soccer at the start of 2025. Since then, he has been linked with the vacancy at Roma, who recently bid farewell to Claudio Ranieri.
However, Klopp had insisted that he had run out of energy upon his Liverpool exit, so perhaps he will take some time yet before deciding his next coaching role.
4 Julen Lopetegui Last job: West Ham United (Jan 2025)
Julen Lopetegui has been unemployed since being let go by West Ham United in early 2025, having been unable to improve the Hammers’ fortunes after replacing David Moyes at the London Stadium.
A Europa League winner with Sevilla, the Spaniard’s CV remains an impressive one, and had previously displayed his managerial prowess in the Premier League with Wolves, so perhaps a better match-up can bring the best out of the ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss.
5 Thiago Motta Last job: Juventus (Mar 2025)
Thiago Motta announced himself in the managerial world by steering Bologna to an unlikely Champions League place in 2023/24. His success led him to joining Juventus, who had parted with Massimiliano Allegri.
However, his spell as Bianconeri boss was underwhelming, and was dismissed with their Champions League qualification hopes under threat, while their European campaign also had its struggles, exiting the play-off round to PSV.
Motta was sacked in March as results in Serie A continued to disappoint.
6 Marco Rose Last job: RB Leipzig (Mar 2025)
Marco Rose has had a relatively chequered history when it comes to success in the dugout.
After enjoying league success at Red Bull Salzburg, Rose had mixed spells at Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, his most recent club.
His tenures saw a mixture of Champions League qualifications and mid-table finishes, with the 2024/25 campaign seeing RB Leipzig fail to get out of the league phase in the Champions League as well as a drop-off in form in the Bundesliga. As a result, he is looking for a fifth job in eight years.
7 Roger Schmidt Last job: Benfica (August 2024)
Roger Schmidt has been out of work since leaving Benfica in August 2024. Across two seasons with the Portuguese side, the German led the club to the league title in his maiden campaign, also winning the Portuguese Super Cup.
Benfica could only finish second behind Sporting CP last year, and after winning 7 points from 12 in the 2024/25 campaign, Schmidt departed the club.
He is no stranger to the pressures of managing a top side, also enjoying spells at PSV and Bayer Leverkusen, but it remains to be seen where he ends up next.
8 Gareth Southgate Last job: England (July 2024)
Gareth Southgate bowed out after eight years of service as England manager, having twice taken them to the brink of European glory.
The end of the European Championship campaign in the summer of 2024 brought about the end of his tenure, with Southgate calling time after securing two runners-up medals and a first World Cup semi-final since 1990.
Despite him being linked to vacancies at Manchester United and former club Crystal Palace in the recent past, he had originally claimed that he would take a year out after cutting ties with the national team. Does that mean his next role is around the corner?
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ByBen Browning 9 Erik ten Hag Last job: Manchester United (October 2024)
Erik ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United having led them to a League Cup triumph in his first season and the FA Cup in his second, but it wasn’t good enough to save his job.
Premier League finishes of third and eighth proved to be what Ten Hag was judged on. Adding in the fact that the Old Trafford side ended bottom of their Champions League group in 2023/24, it was clear he couldn’t get the team playing to his desired style on a consistent basis.
Perhaps a spell at a club with less pressure will allow him to restore his reputation. Having said that, he was linked with the vacant role at Bayer Leverkusen in May, with Xabi Alonso recently departing the German Bundesliga club.
10 Edin Terzić Last job: Borussia Dortmund (June 2024)
Edin Terzić led Borussia Dortmund to a surprise appearance in the 2023/24 Champions League final. A 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid was perhaps expected, but it looked like it could usher in a new era for the German side.
Just a week later, Terzic left Dortmund after three seasons in charge across two separate spells. Still young in managerial terms, he could be an ideal candidate for any major job that opens up across Europe.