Sports
Managers leaving across Europe at record rates
Since the start of 2026, sports media headlines have revolved around the strained Chelsea–Maresca relationship, Manchester United’s damaged connection with Ruben Amorim, and, most recently, Celtic’s woes, as the club moved on from Wilfried Nancy just 32 days after he succeeded Brendan Rodgers. Together, these rapid-fire changes on some of Europe’s biggest benches have turned the spotlight firmly onto managers and how little time they are given to turn things around.
All these proceedings prompted Sportingpedia to take a wider look at the coaching carousel across the continent, analysing managerial changes since the start of the 2025/26 season in 18 of Europe’s top 20 leagues, excluding Sweden and Norway, whose domestic seasons run on a different calendar and identifying where sackings have been most common, which competitions now lead the way for dismissals, and which clubs have already gone through multiple head coaches in a single campaign.
Some of the most curious findings are that since the start of the 2025/26 campaign there have already been 110 managerial changes across these leagues. Turkiye’s Super Lig stands out as the most volatile league with 17 changes, while among the traditional top five competitions the Premier League now leads the way with six dismissals, ahead of the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1. What is most alarming, however, is that eleven clubs across eight different leagues have already made multiple managerial changes this season, meaning those teams are already on their third manager of the campaign while many of their rivals have yet to change even once.
Methodology
The study covers 18 of Europe’s top 20 leagues in the 2025/26 season, excluding Sweden and Norway because their competitions follow a different calendar. For each league, every managerial change since the start of the current campaign was counted. A “managerial change” is any instance of a head coach leaving his position, regardless of whether the departure was formally described as a sacking, resignation or mutual agreement.
Key Takeaways:
- A total of 110 managerial changes have occurred in Europe’s top leagues since the start of the 2025/25 season
- Among Europe’s traditional top five leagues, the Premier League leads with 6 managerial changes, ahead of the Bundesliga with 5, while La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 have each recorded 4
- Turkiye’s Super Lig is the most volatile league overall, with 17 managerial changes since the start of the 2025/26 season
- Greece’s Super League 1 and the Cyprus League follow with 10 changes each, while Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League has witnessed 9
- Eleven clubs across Europe’s top leagues have already made multiple managerial changes in 2025/26, with two head coaches leaving at each team
- These eleven clubs come from eight different competitions: Super Lig, Liga Portugal, the Scottish Premiership, Ekstraklasa, Greece’s Super League 1, the Cyprus League, Austria’s Bundesliga and the Premier League
- Israel’s Liga ha’Al is the most stable league in the sample with only 2 head coach departures, while the Eredivisie and Denmark’s Superliga have seen 3 changes each
Number of managerial changes in Europe’s top leagues since the start of the 2025/26 season
Data Source: Transfermarkt
At league level, Turkiye’s Super Lig clearly stands at the top of the instability table. With 17 managerial changes already recorded in 2025/26, clubs there have been quicker to replace head coaches than in any other competition included in the study.
Greece’s Super League 1 and the Cyprus League share second place with 10 changes each, underlining how rapidly clubs in those championships move when results or performances fall below expectations. Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League sits just behind them with 9 changes, confirming that coaching turnover has also been high in one of Europe’s most competitive smaller leagues.
Poland’s Ekstraklasa and Austria’s Bundesliga have each registered 7 changes so far, placing them firmly in the high-turnover bracket. Liga Portugal and the Premier League follow with 6 changes apiece. In England, that figure has been pushed up by the recent dismissals at Chelsea and Manchester United, ensuring that the Premier League now has more sackings than any of the other traditional top five leagues.
Germany’s Bundesliga and the Scottish Premiership have each seen 5 managerial changes, while La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, the Czech League and Switzerland’s Super League form a middle group with 4 departures each. These competitions sit between the most turbulent and the most stable environments: changes are regular, but not at the levels seen in Turkey, Greece or Cyprus.
At the calmer end of the scale, the Eredivisie and Denmark’s Superliga have each recorded 3 managerial departures since the start of the season. Israel’s Liga ha’Al has seen only 2 changes, making it the most stable league in the sample.
Clubs already on their third manager
Alongside the league-wide numbers, a small group of clubs shows just how extreme instability has become. In total, 11 teams across the 18 leagues have already worked with more than two head coach this season. In every case, two managers have left their roles in 2025/26, meaning a third coach has taken over by this stage of the campaign.
Nottingham Forest is the only Premier League club in this group. Nuno Espirito Santo’s spell at Forest ended after 629 days, and his successor, Ange Postecoglou, left the job after 39 days, leaving the team already on a third head coach for 2025/26.
Celtic are the most high-profile case in Scotland’s Premiership. Brendan Rodgers’ long tenure ended after 849 days, and his replacement, Wilfried Nancy, then remained in charge for only 32 days before also departing.
In Liga Portugal, Avs Futebol have already dismissed two managers. Jose Mota was in charge for 139 days earlier in the season before leaving his position. He was followed by Joao Pedro Sousa, whose time on the bench lasted 88 days before his departure.
Poland’s Ekstraklasa is represented by Widzew Lodz. Zeljko Sopic’s tenure as head coach ended after 161 days, and the next manager, Patryk Czubak, left the role after a 50-day spell.
Greece’s Super League 1 contributes two clubs. Panathinaikos first parted ways with Rui Vitoria after 319 days in charge, then later saw Christos Kontis depart after 36 days. AE Larisa followed a similar pattern, with Georgios Petrakis leaving after 96 days and Stelios Malezas after 61 days.
In the Cyprus League, Ethnikos Achnas have also seen two coaches come and go. Hugo Martins remained in charge for 89 days before his exit, and Igor Angelovski’s spell ended after 73 days.
Austria’s Bundesliga is represented by Wolfsberger AC. Mitja Morec was head coach for 148 days before leaving, and his successor, Andreas Gahleitner, lasted 31 days before his departure.
Turkey’s Super Lig adds three more names to the list of repeat changers. Antalyaspor dismissed Emre Belozoglu after 264 days and later moved on from Erol Bulut after a 65-day spell. Genclerbirligi parted company with Huseyin Eroglu after 307 days and then with Volkan Demirel after 37 days. Eyupspor first saw Selcuk Sahin leave after 96 days in charge, followed by Orhan Ak, whose tenure lasted 83 days before his departure.
Set against the broader picture of 111 managerial changes across 18 leagues, the fact that 11 clubs have already gone through multiple dismissals in a single season highlights how quickly pressure can escalate on the touchline and how fragile job security has become for coaches at all levels of European football.
As clubs head into the second half of the 2025/26 season, transfer talk is increasingly shifting from immediate January business to what happens in 2026, when a new wave of high value contracts is due to run out. For Europe’s biggest sides, letting a key player enter the final year of his deal is always a gamble – one that can end either with a lucrative extension or the risk of losing a major asset below market price, or even for free.
With that in mind, Winsportsonline examined the current market values of players whose contracts expire in 2026 and identified the 11 most valuable names in that bracket. Together, they are worth €381 million, led by Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano at €70 million. The list is dominated by players from the Premier League and Serie A, with only five leagues represented in total and no players from La Liga or Ligue 1.
Key Takeaways:
- The 11 most valuable players with contracts expiring in 2026 have a combined market value of €381 million
- Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich) is the most valuable player on the list at €70 million and the only one above €60 million
- Premier League clubs account for 5 of the 11 players (Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Everton, Bournemouth), close to half of the total
- Serie A provides 3 players (Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie from Juventus, plus Mike Maignan from Milan), making it the only club league with multiple representatives besides the Premier League
- Bayern Munich hold the single most valuable expiring asset (Upamecano), while Juventus are the only club with two players on the list
- The remaining three players come from the Bundesliga (Bayern Munich), Eredivisie (Feyenoord) and the Saudi Pro League (Al-Hilal), with no representatives from La Liga or Ligue 1 among the top 11
The Most Valuable Players with Expiring Contracts in 2026
Dayot Upamecano – Bayern Munich – €70 million
Dayot Upamecano heads the ranking as the most valuable player with a contract expiring in 2026, with an estimated market value of €70 million. As a key figure in Bayern Munich’s defence, his situation will be one of the most closely watched in the coming months. Allowing such a valuable player to move into the final year of his deal would leave Bayern facing a difficult choice between cashing in early or risking a cut price exit further down the line.
Marc Guehi – Crystal Palace – €55 million
Marc Guehi sits second on the list at €55 million and is the highest valued Premier League based player with a 2026 expiry. A central pillar of Crystal Palace’s back line, he represents one of the club’s most important assets on and off the pitch. Palace sold him to Manchester City for €23 million.
Ibrahima Konate – Liverpool – €50 million
Ibrahima Konate completes an all-defensive top three with a market value of €50 million. As one of Liverpool’s main options at the heart of defence, his 2026 contract situation adds another layer to the club’s medium term planning. Whether Liverpool prioritise an early renewal or keep their options open will be a major talking point as his deal moves closer to its final year.
Dusan Vlahovic – Juventus – €35 million
Dusan Vlahovic is the highest valued forward on the list at €35 million. Leading the line for Juventus, he remains one of Serie A’s most prominent attacking names. With his contract expiring in 2026, Juventus face a familiar dilemma: commit to a new long term agreement on top striker wages, or consider a sale before his value is eroded by contract length.
Bernardo Silva – Manchester City – €27 million
Bernardo Silva is valued at €27 million and is Manchester City’s lone representative in the ranking. A versatile and technically gifted midfielder, he has been an important part of City’s success in recent seasons. His 2026 contract end date will be closely monitored across Europe, as any uncertainty over his future would be enough to attract interest from multiple top clubs.
Mike Maignan – Milan – €25 million
Mike Maignan is Milan’s key contribution to the list with a market value of €25 million. As first choice goalkeeper, his importance goes beyond raw transfer value, given the difficulty and expense involved in replacing a top level number one. Milan will come under pressure to secure clarity on his future well before his contract ticks into its final year.
Ruben Neves – Al Hilal – €25 million
Ruben Neves is the only Saudi Pro League based player in the top 11, also valued at €25 million. Operating for Al Hilal, he remains one of the most recognisable midfield names in the league. His 2026 contract expiry means that both European and Gulf clubs will be watching for any sign that he might be open to a change of direction as his deal winds down.
Vitaliy Mykolenko – Everton – €25 million
Vitaliy Mykolenko represents Everton on the list, with a market value of €25 million. As a regular in the Premier League, he has become one of the club’s most valuable assets. With his contract due to expire in 2026, Everton must balance their financial situation with the footballing need to keep a settled back line, especially if interest from elsewhere grows.
Quinten Timber – Feyenoord – €25 million
Quinten Timber is Feyenoord’s entry in the ranking, also valued at €25 million. As a central figure for the Dutch champions, his 2026 contract end date puts Feyenoord in a familiar position for Eredivisie clubs: deciding whether to extend the deal of a key player or accept that a transfer might be inevitable once he nears the final year of his agreement.
Weston McKennie – Juventus – €22 million
Weston McKennie is Juventus’ second representative, valued at €22 million. His presence alongside Vlahovic makes Juventus the only club with two players in the top 11, underlining how much contract work the Turin side has ahead of 2026. Whether he remains part of their long term plans or becomes a saleable asset will shape their transfer strategy over the next two windows.
Marcos Senesi – Bournemouth – €22 million
Marcos Senesi completes the list with a market value of €22 million and gives Bournemouth a place among the clubs with high value contracts running out in 2026. As a core part of their defensive structure, his contractual situation will be crucial for a team that cannot afford to lose important players for less than their true worth once they move into the final year of their deals.
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