Russell Martin is in advanced talks to become Leicester City’s new head coach, with the 40-year-old now in discussions over a return to management at a club rebuilding after relegation. Leicester are looking for a successor to Gary Rowett, and the talks have moved to the point where Martin is being considered seriously for the job.
The timing matters because Leicester are trying to reset quickly after being relegated from the Championship this year, with new sporting director James McCarron leading the search. Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said in February that the club had to get back to its identity, defining the kind of football and players it should bring, and Martin’s appointment would fit that brief if a deal is completed.
Martin has been out of work since his short spell at Rangers, where he last sat in the dugout before his exit last October. Before that he had worked at MK Dons, Swansea, Southampton and Rangers, and he won promotion to the Premier League with Southampton, a record that keeps him in view for jobs in England and abroad.
His style is also part of the conversation. Martin’s possession-heavy, structured approach has divided opinion in some quarters of the game, but it is the sort of model Leicester have signaled they want to examine as they look to rebuild after back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and Championship. That makes the fit as important as the name.
Reports elsewhere have also suggested Martin could be reunited with assistant Matt Gill, who has worked alongside him at MK Dons, Swansea, Southampton and Rangers. Gill joined James Morrison’s staff at West Brom last season during their successful battle against Championship relegation, leaving open the question of whether he would also move if Martin gets the Leicester job.
The next step is straightforward but still decisive: a final agreement, or a pause. Leicester have not announced a completed appointment, so Martin remains in advanced talks rather than in place, and the club’s rebuilding phase now hinges on whether McCarron can turn a promising discussion into a manager in the dugout.
