Leicester City and Brendan Rodgers could be the perfect match

None of the reported interest amounted to anything. But Leicester? Somehow this feels different, a far more realistic prospect, a much better fit for both club and coach. It will surprise nobody in British football if the King Power Stadium outfit approach Celtic for permission to speak to the man who has led them to unprecedented domestic success in the past few seasons the coming days? Nor will it be a great shock if the Northern Irishman is open to their advances.

Rodgers understands and accepts the long-standing and hugely successful business model that is in place at Parkhead. But his frustration at the conditions he has to work in have been evident for some time now. He was openly critical of the business the double treble winners conducted last summer even though they broke their transfer record by signing Odsonne Edouard for £9 million from Paris Saint-Germain. Tensions between him and the club hierarchy have been easily detectable since.

READ MORE: Leicester prepared to pay £6 million to Celtic for Brendan Rodgers

The arrival of Oliver Burke, Jeremy Toljan and Timothy Weah on loan and the signing of Vakoun Bayo during the January transfer went some way towards placating the Northern Irishman. His side are certainly stronger for that quartet’s presence. But are his team any better than they were last season or the campaign before? That is debatable.

His inability, through no fault of his own, to build on what he has accomplished to date must be exasperating. It certainly was for Neil Lennon who stood down because he had grown weary of taking one step forward only to then have to take, when his best players were sold on for multi-million pound profits every other close season, two steps back and then rebuild.

The failure to qualify for the Champions League for the third season running back in August was, while a bitter disappointment to Rodgers, almost accepted with a resigned shrug of his shoulders. The budgets most continental club managers have to spend on players is far greater than the one at his disposal. Even reaching the latter stages of the Europa League is an unrealistic expectation.

Rodgers’ happiness in Glasgow, both personally and professionally, is not in doubt. He is a childhood Celtic supporter and is privileged to hold the position that his mentor Tommy Burns, Davie Hay, Willie Maley, Jimmy McGrory, Billy McNeill, Martin O’Neill, Jock Stein and Gordon Strachan all once occupied. But he is entitled to ask what more he can realistically do in the role. It would be understandable if he hankered after a new challenge.

Rodgers, like any player who does well in the top flight in Scotland, is unlikely to be approached by the leading clubs down south, by Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United or Spurs. They have vast resources at their disposal and can afford to target the biggest names in world football. Winning the Betfred Cup three seasons running is unlikely to impress their directors or supporters greatly.

Yet, Rodgers will be an attractive proposition for Leicester who do not quite operate at the same rarefied level when recruiting managers. He has vast experience and a proven track record in English football in general and the Premier League in particular from his time at Chelsea, Watford, Reading, Swansea City and Liverpool. He has repaired the damage the disappointing end to his reign at Anfield did to his reputation and then some at Celtic.

The 46-year-old’s uncanny knack of improving promising players, particularly youngsters, on the training ground will be particularly appealing to Leicester. They have, in Filip Benkovic, Ben Chilwell, Hamza Chowdhury, Demarai Gray and James Maddison, some exciting prospects. There could be no better man to help them realise their vast potential.

READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers coy on Leicester City interest

Rodgers would, too, not be restricted in the transfer marker to the same degree he is in this country. In the summer Claude Puel lavished £25m on Maddison, £22.5m on Ricardo Pereira, £19m on Caglar Soyuncu, £12.5m on Danny Ward and £11m on Benkovic. Having that sort of cash to spend would be appealing.

Leicester, who parted company with Puel after their woeful 4-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at home on Saturday, can also fare better. Taking over a club whose manager has been lure away because of the success he has been responsible for is always a difficult task. But succeeding someone who has been sacked because of poor performances allows the new man to make an immediate impact and get supporters onside instantly.

Rodgers signed a four year deal with Celtic that ties him to Parkhead until 2021 after his side had gone undefeated domestically and won the treble in his debut season. Leicester will have to pay £6m to secure his services. But that is nothing by Premier League standards. Manchester United had to fork out £19.6m to get rid of Jose Mourinho and five members of his coaching staff back in December.

The chance to lead Celtic – who remain, despite the strides forward made by Rangers under Steven Gerrard this season, by some distance the best club in Scotland – to 10-In-A-Row may still persuade Rodgers to stay in the East End.

But with Dedryck Boyata set to depart, possibly Olivier Ntcham and Kieran Tierney too, and Filip Benkovic returning to Leicester, he may decide his time in this country is done.

Completing the treble treble will be a memorable and fitting way to bring his reign to an end if he does choose to go.