The Athletic's resident renowned English transfer journalist David Ornstein, exclusively reported on Monday that former Liverpool Northern Irish manager Brendan Rodgers, is close to being appointed as Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah's new head coach.

According to Ornstein's report, Rodgers has essentially agreed to take over as head coach and will fly to Saudi Arabia this week to finalize some details with Al-Qadsiah.

If the deal goes through, Rodgers is expected to sign on a short-term two-and-a-half-year deal with Al-Qadsiah which will run until the summer of 2028.

Furthermore, according to a report from the Saudi state-run media outlet Al Saudiya, Al-Qadsiah's decision to change their head coach suddenly is closely related to the club's efforts to improve its image and strength after being acquired by the Saudi sovereign Private Investement fund (PIF).

The club plans to move into a new, larger stadium next year and believes that appointing a top coach like Rodgers, with extensive experience of winning titles in European football, will showcase Al-Qadsiah's ambitious plans. 

If Rodgers is confirmed as Al-Qadsiah's new head coach, all rumours of his return to his former club Liverpool will be dispelled.

The Reds have been rumoured to be looking to make a managerial change due to their poor form this season, coupled with legendary Egypt international right winger Mohamed Salah's recent public statement that he "felt he had been thrown under the bus for the team's poor performance".

Rogers' name has been widely speculated to be a potential replacement for Arne Slot due to the team's current tactical approach, which is strikingly similar to his time at Liverpool.

Al-Qadsiah recently announced the sacking of their Spanish head coach, Michel González.

The Saudi Pro League is currently in its winter break and will resume play on Christmas Day.

Before the break, Al-Qadsiah lost to fellow PIF-owned powerhouse Al-Ahli in the Saudi King's Cup on penalties.

About Brendan Rodgers

Rodgers, 52, was born on January 26, 1973, in Carnlough, Northern Ireland. He is 1.7 meters tall and previously played for Reading, but was forced to retire early at the age of 20 due to a serious leg injury.

After retiring, Rodgers joined Chelsea as reserve team manager in the summer of 2006 at the invitation of Portuguese head coach José Mourinho. He left two years later to become Watford manager, helping the club avoid relegation.

In June 2009, Rodgers returned to Reading as manager, but was sacked in mid-December due to poor results.

In July 2010, Rodgers became the manager of Swansea City, successfully leading the team to win the Championship play-offs and earning much praise for his dazzling attacking football style.

In July 2012, Rodgers replaced Liverpool legendary player and manager Kenny Dalglish as the team's manager.

During his three-and-a-half-year spell at Liverpool, Rodgers was praised for successfully developing the potential of players such as Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suarez, and Raheem Sterling. However, after Suarez's move to Barcelona in 2014, Rodgers was unable to adequately fill the void left by the Uruguayan legend in the attack, leading to his dismissal in October 2015.

The following May, Rodgers was appointed as Celtic manager for the first time.

During his two-and-a-half-year spell managing Celtic, he won two Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cup titles, and three Scottish League Cup titles.

In February 2019, Rodgers returned to the Premier League as manager of Leicester City.

During his time there, he won the Community Shield and the FA Cup, but due to the club's financial difficulties and poor performances, he was sacked in early April of 2023.

In the summer of 2023, Rodgers returned to Celtic as manager.

However, due to a complete falling out with the management, Rodgers resigned in late October of this year.

In the past two years, Rodgers has won two Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish League Cup titles, and one Scottish Cup title with the club. With a win percentage of 75.5%, he is also the most successful manager in Celtic's history.