5 clubs who should sack their manager this summer

With the season nearing its very end, the fortunes of several popular clubs across Europe have been mixed this year. With the winners of 4 of the Top-5 leagues all but handed the trophy (except Serie A), this season has had its fair share of twists and turns.

In some cases, the failure of the club can be attributed to its players - either they haven't had time to adapt to the needs of the club or are just not the right fit for the playing style of the club. But sometimes, the blame rests right on the shoulders of their managers.

Come the summer, some clubs will be offloading the men in charge, and will be on the lookout for new managers - managers who they think will be the final piece of the puzzle. Just like every year, this year too, there are a few clubs who have been seriously let down by the person at the helm.

Here's a look at 5 such clubs who should sack their manager in the summer if they want a different fortune in the following season:

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#5 Borussia Dortmund

Another managerial signing has petered out for Dortmund

Gone are the days when Borussia Dortmund were a force to reckon with under the brilliant Thomas Tuchel. Since the German departed after winning the DFB Pokal Cup, BVB have won less than 50% of their games in the league and are currently in the 3rd position.

Not all of this is on Peter Stoger - their current manager. Their manager at the start of the season was Peter Bosz, appointed from Ajax after his impressive run in the UEFA Europa League the previous season. It turned out to be a nightmarish appointment as Dortmund won only 8 of the 24 matches under the Dutch manager.

In the December of 2017, Stoger was appointed on the basis of his stint at FC Koln. FC Koln had sacked him after the team had their worst ever start to a Bundesliga season - 3 wins out of the first 14 games - and also being knocked out of the Europa League in the group stages.

Since then, Stoger has done reasonably well at Dortmund. They are just 1 point behind Schalke 04 in the league and have a good chance of finishing as runners-up. But they have been knocked out of the Europa League at the hands of RB Salzburg, and will have to endure a trophyless season.

Their overall play has deteriorated as well, mostly because of the loss of a few key players over the course of the season - Ousmane Dembele and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being the most notable ones. Rather than the quick-fire passes they were notorious for, their tactic now is just kicking the ball up-field and hoping that Michy Batshuayi is at the receiving end.

In spite of the losses, Dortmund have a solid young squad that can develop into a formidable team, and their top priority of the season should be getting a manager who recognises the talent and plays to their strength.

#4 Arsenal

This has been a forgettable season for the Gunners

For 22 long years, Arsene Wenger has held the fort at Arsenal, and there are very few in the modern game who can rival his long and glorious career. But it is time for a change.

Arsenal fans have called for the sacking of the Frenchman for over half a decade now, only to see him being rewarded with contract renewals. Arsenal sit at a miserable 6th position in the table - 33 points behind runaway leaders, Manchester City.

Arsenal have been knocked out of the FA Cup by minnows Nottingham Forest, lost the Carabao Cup finals 0-3 to Manchester City in depressing fashion and are out of contention for a UEFA Champions League spot next season. Their last hope is the Europa League, where they have reached the quarter-finals and have done reasonably well.

The last time Arsenal won the Premier League was back in the 2003/04 season and despite having finished as a top-4 side in every season until the last, the side has regressed rapidly. Their style of playing is still similar to that of old - quick 1-2s and fast-paced football, but their defence has been abysmal of late.

There is nothing more that Wenger has to prove to anyone, and chances are that this will be his last year at the club. What will be interesting is how Arsenal manage without the man who shaped the history of the club almost single-handedly.

Will they bring in someone who has the same philosophy as Wenger's? Or will they look to someone who can grind the results out without having any qualms about the way in which they win? Either way, this summer will be an exciting time for the Gunners and their fans.

#3 Paris Saint-Germain

Emery's time at PSG is all but over

After yet another disappointing UEFA Champions League run, PSG are on the prowl for a new manager, and rightly so.

Unai Emery was brought into the club in 2016 in place of the outgoing Laurent Blanc with one major objective in mind - the UEFA Champions League. Having led Sevilla to 3 consecutive Europa league titles, PSG were of the opinion that Emery had the knack to win European titles. They couldn't have been more wrong.

PSG lost the league to Monaco in Emery's first year at the club, and went out of the competition in the Round-of-16, the same fate they shared under Blanc.

The Parisiens started this season with determination, on the back of two high-profile transfers in the form of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. While PSG are comfortably about to win the Ligue 1 title, they were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid, again, in the Round-of-16.

While it is unfortunate that they had to come up against Barcelona and Real Madrid in both those years, there is no question of Emery being the person to blame. His substitutions have largely been unimaginative and often detrimental. His tactics against the bigger teams have also been largely questionable.

Simply put, a club with ambitions as high as PSG require a manager of the same calibre - and Emery is not their solution.

#2 Real Madrid

Zidane's overwhelming success won't deter the Madrid board from sacking him

When Real Madrid appointed Zinedine Zidane as their manager after Benitez, even they would not have expected the amount of success he would go on to have at the club.

Since taking over in January 2016, Zidane has led the club to 2 UEFA Champions League titles, 1 La Liga title and 2 UEFA Super Cups. He also helped Los Blancos become the first team ever to defend the Champions League title, and are on course for their 3rd shot at the title.

It is in the league that Real Madrid have suffered this season. They are currently in the 3rd position, 15 points behind leaders Barcelona. They were also unexpectedly knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the quarter-finals by Leganes.

Zidane's downfall this season has been due to a lack of impactful substitutes, something he had plenty of last season. The departure of Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez, Danilo and Pepe without adequate replacements was a grave error on the Frenchman's part and Real Madrid have suffered dearly.

For a legend of Zidane's stature, Madrid might be right to give him a longer rope and see how he does next season as well after the summer transfer window. But unfortunately, Real Madrid don't have a good track-record of holding on to managers.

If Zidane manages to win the UEFA Champions League for the third time in a row, he might be in consideration for the next season as well. But their draw against Juventus in the quarter-finals is not the easiest and it just might be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

#1 Chelsea

Frequent outbursts against the board haven't helped Antonio Conte

This one might not be left in the hands of the club after all, as Antonio Conte has shown no inclination of staying at the club.

Conte's arrival in England last season was a dream start for the London club, as they raced to a second title in three years, and reached the final of the FA Cup, losing out to Arsenal. Their second season, however, has been an altogether different story.

Chelsea sit at 5th position in the table, and in a fierce fight for a Champions League spot next season. They were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Barcelona, but are through to the semi-finals of this year's FA Cup competition.

Conte's downfall at the club began even before the season began, as he repeatedly attacked the Blues' board for not making the transfers he wanted. Since then, he hasn't backed down either. Conte has expressed his displeasure every time the subject of signings has been brought up, and has rightly annoyed the Chelsea board.

The signings that have happened - including the backup replacements - haven't turned out great either. Alvaro Morata and Tiemoue Bakayoko have endured dismal runs of form, and dips in form for Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas haven't helped things either.

Like Real Madrid, Chelsea have a notorious reputation for being trigger-happy. Barring a miraculous return to the top-4, combined with the FA Cup title, the chances of Conte staying at Chelsea are minimal. The Italian will not mind, as he has often expressed his desire to return to Italy.