Leicester City prepare offer for Burnley boss Sean Dyche after sacking Craig Shakespeare

LEICESTER CITY are ready to make Burnley manager Sean Dyche an offer he cannot refuse.

Sean DycheGETTY

Burnley manager Sean Dyche is thought to be Leicester's top target

Dyche, 46, is top of Leicester’s shopping list after they sacked Craig Shakespeare yesterday following the dissapointing start to the season.

Dyche is considered the brightest of the new breed of English bosses after doing a brilliant job in his five years in charge at Burnley

But he is continually having to work on the tightest of budgets and could be tempted away.

Leicester’s billionaire Thai owners are ready to offer Dyche a £2million-a-year bumper deal with the promise of cash to spend.

Dyche heads the list of candidates who emerged following the surprise ending of Shakespeare’s reign after just four months in charge permanently.

Seventeen months ago Leicester were basking in the glow of becoming Premier League champions. But this morning they are hoping a new manager – their third since – can help them escape relegation.

Craig is and will remain a very popular, respected figure at Leicester City and will be welcome back at King Power Stadium in future, both professionally and as a friend of the club.

Leicester City vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha

Leicester, third from bottom with one win in eight games, sacked Shakespeare yesterday, eight months after he replaced Claudio Ranieri. 

The club have been a mess since their magical title triumph and now they want to poach Sean Dyche from Burnley to steer them to safety. 

Shakespeare, 52, had no idea that the rug was about to be pulled from under him after taking charge of the 1-1 home draw with West Brom on Monday night.

He went into work as normal yesterday and oversaw a behind closed doors friendly match at the club’s Belvoir Drive training complex.

But he was called in immediately after that and seemed visibly shaken on being told that his time was up.

Craig ShakespeareGETTY

Craig Shakespeare was dismissed by Leicester following the 1-1 draw with West Brom

Shakespeare was appointed as caretaker boss last season after Ranieri’s fairy-tale spell in charge ended in the sack on February 23.

The Italian’s No2 took over the reins and ended up steering the Foxes away from trouble to finish 12th in the league and to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. He was given the job permanently on June 8, signing a three-year deal.

But his run of results since have been far from impressive and there were boos around the King Power stadium following the uninspiring draw with West Brom.

That result made it six games without a win and the mega-rich Srivaddhanaprabha family decided enough was enough. 

They were not at the game but passed on their decision to remove Shakespeare to the board members in England.

Riyad MahrezGETTY

Riyad Mahrez notched his first goal of the campaign in the 1-1 draw with West Brom

Michael Appleton will be in charge of the first team as caretaker manager for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Swansea City, supported by first team coaches Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler.

Leicester City vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said in a statement: ‘Craig has been a great servant to Leicester City – during his spells as an assistant manager and since taking over as manager in challenging circumstances in February.

“His dedication to the club and to his work has been absolute and the contribution he made to the most successful period in Leicester City history is considerable.

“However, our early promise under Craig’s management has not been consistently evident in the months since and the board feels that, regrettably, a change is necessary to keep the club moving forward – consistent with the long-term expectations of our supporters, board and owners.

“Craig is and will remain a very popular, respected figure at Leicester City and will be welcome back at King Power Stadium in future, both professionally and as a friend of the club.”

ShakespeareGETTY

Shakespeare served as Claudio Ranieri's assistant during Leicester's title winning season

There will be no shortage of interest in taking over a club in rude financial health.

Former manager Nigel Pearson is not among the contenders but Carlo Ancelotti, a candidate before the appointment of Ranieri, is someone who is admired.

But with a CV which includes Real Madrid, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, where he was recently sacked, it is unlikely that the Italian would fancy seeing out his career at Leicester.

Former England manager Sam Allardyce, Wales boss Chris Coleman and Alan Pardew are all likely to be interested.

But Dyche is the man who fits the bill and may feel now is the right time to move on from Turf Moor.

He is on a one-year rolling deal at Burnley but Leicester are ready to treble his salary and give him the cash budget for players that he can only dream of.

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