Julen Lopetegui was the last Premier League manager to go and he left days before the season actually started.

The first in-season exit is about to arrive though with Sheffield United poised to axe Paul Heckingbottom.

The Athletic report that Heckingbottom will now be sacked after a 5-0 thrashing at Burnley over the weekend.

Sheffield United sit bottom of the Premier League table and have lost 11 in 14 games this season, meaning Heckingbottom is now on the brink.

Rangers shouldn’t worry about Sheffield United admiring Philippe Clement

This may not sound like it pertains to Rangers, but the Blades have been interested in Gers boss Philippe Clement in the past.

The Sheffield Star noted in 2021 that people inside Sheffield United admire Clement.

The reason is that Blades owner Abdullah Bin Mosaad Al Saud also owns Beerschot, who played against Clement in Belgium’s top flight.

Clement is a former Beerschot man himself from his playing days and he has been on the radar of Sheffield United’s board of directors for a while.

The same decision-makers are still in power at Bramall Lane, so that admiration is surely still in place too, but we think there is nothing for Rangers to worry about as Heckingbottom heads for the exit.

Firstly, Chris Wilder is the favourite for the job despite being sacked by Sheffield United in 2021, which ultimately sparked the Clement interest.

Wilder’s return should go through without a hitch but even if the Blades came calling, Clement surely wouldn’t be interested.

United already seem doomed at the bottom of the Premier League table and don’t exactly have the budget to invest in big January signings.

Key players were sold over the summer even after promotion and the expectation is that Sheffield United will be playing in the Championship next season.

That surely won’t appeal to Clement, especially as he is now looking at title challenges and European football with Rangers.

Clement, most importantly, seems happy at Rangers too.

The Belgian remains unbeaten as Gers boss and has been making steady progress since replacing Michael Beale in October.

Clement will be looking forward to his first transfer window at Rangers rather than thinking about leaving, so Sheffield United’s interest will likely have to stay as admiring from afar.