Leicester City target Celtic's Rodgers to replace Puel

Brendan Rodgers took a step closer to a return to the Premier League on Tuesday when Celtic chiefs said they had allowed him to talk to Leicester City who on Sunday fired manager Claude Puel. Rodgers, 46, has not coached an English top flight team since Liverpool sacked him in October 2015.

Brendan Rodgers almost took Liverpool to the 2014 Premier League title. AFP/Jose Jordan

He has rebuilt his reputation in Scotland by leading Celtic to a back-to-back sweep of all three domestic titles.

"Celtic Football Club confirm that it has been approached by Leicester City FC to speak to Brendan Rodgers with regards to their current managerial vacancy," said a Celtic statement.

"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."

Under the veteran Italian coach Claudio Ranieri, Leicester City unexpectedly won the English Premier League title in 2016.

Successor

But since Ranieri's sacking in February 2017, they have failed to replicate those heights under successors Craig Shakespeare and Puel who was dismissed after 16 months in charge.

The 57-year-old Frenchman left the club 12th in the Premier League having lost five of their past six league games and just eight points above the relegation zone.

He had been praised for his dignified leadership after the death of the owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others in a helicopter crash outside the club's King Power stadium in October.

Before taking over at Anfield, Rodgers led Swansea City for three years following coaching posts at Watford and Reading.