The Premier League has produced some of the finest foreign managers in the history of football. It’s hard to believe that even in the 2024/25 season, an English manager has yet to lift the Premier League title, but as we look past the opening few weeks of the new campaign, it’s clear that the title race will once again be defined by managers from other countries.
Indeed, Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche are the only current English managers in the county’s top flight at the time of writing, with Spanish bosses ruling the roost as far as the table is concerned.
There are currently five Spaniards in charge of Premier League clubs, with two in direct competition to life the title come the end of the season. In this article, we rank their success stories and impact on English football so far. Read on to find out more.
Julen Lopetegui
The latest Spanish manager to return to the Premier League, is Julen Lopetegui, who joined West Ham United this summer after a spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2022/23 season.
It’s been a mixed bag of results for the former Sevilla and Real Madrid man, having struggled to pick up points at home. That said, the West Ham V Man U odds give the Irons a fighting chance at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils equally as disappointing at Old Trafford.
Lopetegui is experienced enough to turn things around but knows he must act quickly to keep his new fans on side.
Andoni Iraola
One of the most underrated managers in the league, Andoni Iraola quietly went about his business in securing Premier League safety for Bournemouth last season.
Many were lukewarm to his appointment after the job Gary O’Neil did on the South Coast, but the Spaniard’s tactics showed that the Bournemouth hierarchy made the right decision with his appointment.
This season Iraola has lost his star striker in Dominic Solanke, but with the likes of Luis Sinisterra and Antoine Semenyo, it should be another season of safety on the South Coast.
Unai Emery
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is perhaps the best-suited manager aside from the ‘Big Six’ to balance Premier League football with a European campaign.
Emery’s side shocked those making a football bet last season when they finished fourth and secured a place in the Champions League – beating Bayern Munich at Villa Park to return to Europe in style.
The question now will be if he can replicate that success, or whether his Villa side were a flash in the pan that will eventually fizzle out.
Pep Guardiola
This could well be Pep Guardiola’s final season at Manchester City, with the manager looking to win his fourth successive title after reshaping the modern game with his tactical vision.
Arriving in 2016, it took a season to settle into Premier League football, especially coming from a Bayern Munich side that dominated Germany for the best part of a decade. However, once he assembled a team of stars, Guardiola would go on to win seven of the eight title races, including achieving a centurion season with City in 2018.
When it is time for him to leave the Etihad, he will go down as one of the best managers in Premier League history.
Mikel Arteta
A scholar of the Guardiola managerial school, Mikel Arteta left his role as assistant manager of City to take the job of Arsenal boss – now looking to dethrone his former club and win the Gunners’ first Premier League title since 2004.
Arsenal have come close before – consecutive second-place finishes have shown steady improvement, with each attempt thwarted by City – but many believe this could be the year in north London.
Arteta was seconds away from victory at the Etihad but faces some tough tests ahead. His side still have tough games against Liverpool and Manchester United, which could define their title race.
