Former Sunderland manager eyed by ‘a number of EFL clubs’ amid Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City

Lee Johnson, 44, currently manages Lommel SK in Belgium. Johnson took over in March 2025 and has had a strong spell in the Belgian second tier with 14 wins from 29 games so far. But Pete O’Rourke says Johnson may be on his way back to England.

O’Rourke says Johnson is ‘on the radar of a number of EFL clubs’, albeit without revealing which clubs are interested in his services. But two Championship clubs without managers are Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City.

Blackburn Rovers sacked Valerien Ismael on deadline day, while Leicester City sacked Marti Cifuentes a week earlier.

Lee Johnson’s championship record

Johnson may not be someone that fans of Blackburn Rovers or Leicester City get all that excited about. But he is one of the most experienced Championship and EFL managers around and is best known for his four-year spell at Bristol City between 2016 and 2020.

During his career to date, Johnson has officiated in 195 championship games, winning 73 of them. Meanwhile, in League One, he has a record of 80 wins from 207 games, having won the EFL Trophy with Sunderland in 2021.

The latest news on Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City’s manager search

Both clubs are competing for Gary Rowett. It was reported that Blackburn Rovers would hold talks with Rowett, but it is understood those talks have since stalled and Blackburn Rovers are now looking at Michael O’Neill, who is in charge of the Northern Ireland national team.

Meanwhile, Leicester City are working to hire a sporting director and find a new manager. But the likes of Russell Martin, Lincoln City manager Michael Skubala and Andy King’s links to the permanent job have all been downplayed by sources.

Neither club seems very close to hiring a manager and so Johnson’s name could quickly enter the bookmakers’ lists. Although it may be that Johnson attracts more interest from League One, given that his last job in England was with Fleetwood Town and was unsuccessful.

But he remains a manager with experience and a track record in the Championship, and he showed in Belgium with Lommel that he still has what it takes to succeed in the dugout. However, the tasks at Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City are very urgent as the two clubs are now battling relegation to League One.