Phil Hay of The Athletic believes Leeds United are searching for more "conventional" options in their managerial search ahead of 2023/24.

The Whites will be playing Championship football once again next season. They have been relegated from the Premier League after a three-year stint in the top flight.

A 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on the final day of the season sealed their fate alongside Southampton and Leicester City.

Leeds ended the season in 19th place after narrowly avoiding relegation in the previous campaign under Jesse Marsch.

Sam Allardyce was in charge of the side's drop to the Championship, but they have been managed by Marsch, Michael Skubala, and Javi Gracia this season as well.

Allardyce has since departed and the question remains of who will be in the dugout for the start of the 2023/24 season.

Scott Parker Club Brugge

Hay believes Leeds are going for more conventional choices, with four managers currently being discussed as possibilities at Elland Road, including Scott Parker.

Hay wrote: "With a 49ers takeover a step closer, Leeds’ manager search focuses on conventional options.

"The names of some of the candidates under consideration indicate that Leeds, for now, are focusing on safer or proven options.

"Scott Parker has been discussed on the basis he won promotion from the Championship twice before, with Fulham and Bournemouth. Leicester City are another possible destination for him.

"Leeds would jump at someone like Brendan Rodgers if the Northern Irishman was willing to drop into the Championship, a league he was promoted from with Swansea City.

"Steven Gerrard ran into trouble as manager of Aston Villa, but he won a Scottish Premiership title with Rangers and some close to him believe he has a strong chance of landing the job at Elland Road.

"Leeds, meanwhile, have opened the door to a move for Carlos Corberan, their former academy coach who manages West Brom. Corberan does not have promotion on his CV — at least not as a manager in his own right — but he took Huddersfield Town to the Championship play-offs on a limited budget in 2022.

"His contract at The Hawthorns — signed in February at a time when he was being linked with Leeds in the aftermath of Marsch’s sacking — contains a release clause."

However, Hay has ruled out that there will be moves for any appointments the 49ers deem to be riskier, and there will be no "left-field" choice made, he added: "Every managerial appointment involves an element of risk, and it might be that new owners want to make waves with their first pick. But the preemptive spadework done last week spoke of a reluctance to gamble the next 12 months on a left-field concept."

Who should Leeds appoint as manager?

It's not the most inspiring list ever, with only two truly standout candidates in Rodgers and Corberan.

Parker may have two promotions on his CV, but the squads he had at his disposal were easily two of the best in the division at the time, and Gerrard's stock is particularly low considering the job he did at Aston Villa.

It is a shame for Leeds that there is no expectation of a left-field shout, given that there are managers who have not been given a go in a major European league, yet. Some good and less conventional choices include Kjetil Knutsen and Francesco Farioli.