Betway places Benitez as the early favourite in the first manager to leave market

Despite lifting league titles just two months ago,  the odds suggest Rafael Benitez and Antonio Conte are both in danger of being the next manager to leave their post.

The Newcastle manager and the Chelsea manager both followed up unsatisfactory summer transfer windows, with a defeat on the opening day of the season.

Benitez is currently the 7/2 favourite to depart, lacklustre defeats for Mark Hughes and Slaven Billic leave them both precariously lingering at 4/1, with Premier League champion Conte closely following them as a 9/2 fourth favourite.

Betway’s Alan Alger told SBC:  “Conte is one of the favourites to leave because we know that he is working for a very demanding man in Roman Abramovich. Chelsea got off to the worst possible start, and it could also be said that he might not be happy with the squad he currently has available to him. With all those things in the mix he has to be a short price to depart Stamford Bridge.

“Rafa Benitez is another boss who won’t accept second best, be it investment from owners or having the opportunity to manage elsewhere. His tenure at Newcastle has always hung by the shortest of threads – even when doing well – so he’s another manager we have to keep short in the betting.”

Dutch manager Frank de Boer lasted just 85 days in his last job at Inter Milan, an opening day drubbing at the hands of Huddersfield has left bookmakers pondering whether his spell in South London could be just a short as his spell in Serie A.

Nonetheless, Alger thinks talk of de Boers departure is premature: “Frank de Boer is surprisingly short at 7/1 for a quick departure from Selhurst Park. He got off to a terrible start, but surely he’ll be given plenty of time.”