Gary O’Neil agrees deal in principle for managerial return after Premier League speculation
Gary O’Neil has been heavily linked with a return to management in the Premier League in recent weeks.
The former Bournemouth boss has been out of work since he was dismissed by Wolves in December 2024, but earned plenty of admiration across the league for those two stints.
O’Neil was the favourite to take over at Leeds United until their recent improvement appears to have put an end to the scrutiny surrounding Daniel Farke’s position at the helm.
Several Premier League bosses have been under threat of late in the early stages of 2026, and the Whites are far from the only club who have been linked with O’Neil.
Gary O’Neil set to return to management with Strasbourg
O’Neil has also been linked with the Burnley job recently, as pressure begins to mount on Scott Parker with the team rooted inside the relegation zone.
The Clarets’ chances of securing their Premier League status are growing slimmer with every passing game, and that looks set to put Parker at serious threat of losing his job as January wears on.
However, the Lancashire outfit will now have to look elsewhere if they do decide to sack their boss, with O’Neil having now agreed a deal elsewhere.
The 42-year-old has reached an agreement in principle to join Strasbourg as their new manager, according to journalist Mike McGrath via his X account.
The finer details of the contract are yet to be finalised and signed, but O’Neil is “on the verge” of becoming Liam Rosenior’s successor at the French outfit.
Rosenior had the team flying high on the edge of the European places in Ligue 1, before his arrival as Chelsea’s new manager was confirmed on Tuesday morning.
Who else is in the frame for the Burnley job?
Both O’Neil and Rosenior were linked with Burnley prior to the events in recent days, but two of the bookmakers’ favourites for the job have now become engaged elsewhere.
Michael Carrick is one of last week’s favourites who remains out of a job, while the likes of Steven Gerrard and former West Brom boss Carlos Corberan were also viewed as potential options.
Parker is still in place at Burnley for now, but with his team already six points adrift of safety and clashes with Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all on the horizon, his situation could soon change.
With O’Neil now out of the reckoning, Alan Pace and Co. will have to explore other options if they decide to pull the trigger on their current man.