On a truly dramatic day for Celtic, Rodgers was immediately replaced by the club’s former captain and boss Neil Lennon, who will initially be at the helm until the end of the season.

Lennon’s first game of his second spell in charge will be against Hearts at Tynecastle on Wednesday as Celtic look to protect the eight-point lead Rodgers has left them with as they pursue an eighth consecutive league title.

The timing of Rodgers’ departure, replacing Claude Puel at Leicester City just two days after the Frenchman was sacked, has taken many by surprise as Celtic remain on course to win the domestic treble for a third successive season.

New Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers is welcomed by supporters ahead of the match with Brighton. Picture: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images

But Rodgers confirmed what many observers have suspected for some time, that the unparalleled domestic dominance he oversaw at Celtic since his appointment in June 2016 was not enough to satisfy his professional ambitions.

“There was a number of reasons why I joined Leicester,” he said. “I was certainly in no hurry to leave Celtic. Celtic is a huge club worldwide, a renowned club, and I loved working with the players there.

“We were on a journey of great success over these last years but when the opportunity came to talk to Leicester and I was able to analyse it, it allowed me to think that I’d probably achieved and taken Celtic maybe as far as I could at this moment.”

Rodgers has signed a contract at Leicester until 2022 and will be joined at the English Premier League club by three of his Celtic backroom staff – assistant manager Chris Davies, first team coach Kolo Toure and head of  performance Glen Driscoll.

Lennon, making his return to management just a month after his exit from Hibs, will be assisted at Celtic by John Kennedy, promoted to assistant manager, while recently appointed reserve team coach Damien Duff joins the first team set-up. “I am absolutely delighted to be named manager of Celtic again,” said Lennon. “This is a club which has been such a huge part of my life already and it is an honour to be asked to return.

“I have given everything to Celtic as a player and manager already in my career and I am ready to do the same again. I will be doing all I can to continue the great work that has gone on in recent years. I am returning to one of the biggest and best clubs in world football and I can’t wait to get started.”

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell expressed disappointment at Rodgers’ decision to leave, Leicester City having triggered a release clause in his contract at a cost of around £6 million, but insists Lennon is the right man to ensure the club’s quest for further silverware this season is not derailed.

“Brendan is a football manager of the highest quality and we are very disappointed to see him leave the club,” said Lawwell. “This is an opportunity he wished to pursue and that is something we have to respect.

“He gave the club so much and has created so many wonderful memories for the club and our supporters. His achievements are historic. When we appointed Brendan we knew we were bringing someone of the highest standard to Celtic. I would personally like to thank Brendan for all he has given to the club. He has been a tremendous ambassador for Celtic and I wish him every success for the future.

“In bringing Neil back to the club until the end of the season, we have appointed a man who knows what it means to be Celtic manager and someone who knows how to win.

“We know he has the commitment and desire needed to face the challenges ahead. We are delighted to also promote John Kennedy [pictured] to assistant manager and bring Damien Duff into our first-team management group. This will bring vital continuity and allow us to build on Brendan’s legacy.

“The club is in a great position on and off the field, and with Neil, John and Damien leading the first team, I am sure we can continue our success.”

Rodgers’ appointment was confirmed by Leicester just before their home match against Brighton which he attended and saw his new club win 2-1. But he will take charge for the first time on Sunday against one of his former clubs, Watford.

Lennon’s whirlwind start to his second stint as Celtic manager will see the league assignment at Tynecastle followed by Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final against former club Hibs at Easter Road.

Now 47, Lennon enjoyed a hugely successful spell as a player at Celtic from December 2000 to May 2007, during which time he became club captain. He returned less than a year later to join the coaching staff under Gordon Strachan.

Following the dismissal of Tony Mowbray as manager in March 2010, Lennon was placed in caretaker charge until the end of that season. Celtic won all of their remaining league games that campaign under his guidance and despite a shock Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Ross County, he was given the job on a permanent basis.

Celtic won the Scottish Cup in Lennon’s first full season but lost out on the league title to Rangers on the last day of the campaign. The 2011-12 season saw Lennon recover from a poor start, which at one stage placed his job in jeopardy as Celtic fell 15 points behind Rangers.

But Celtic overhauled their rivals by the turn of the year, with Rangers later docked a further 10 points as they went into administration, and Lennon won his first league title as manager in convincing style.

The SPL crown was retained in 2012-13, while Lennon also oversaw another Scottish Cup win and an impressive Champions League campaign which ended in the last 16 against Juventus. The league title was won again in 2013-14 but Lennon resigned at the end of the season, stating the time was right for a new challenge.

He found it at Bolton Wanderers where he became manager in October 2014 but it proved an ill-fated move. Lennon kept them in the Championship in his first season but as Bolton struggled with financial worries, he left by mutual consent with the club at the bottom of the table in March 2016.

The surprise departure of Alan Stubbs from Hibs after winning the Scottish Cup final against Rangers at the end of that season provided Lennon with a rapid return to management. His first two seasons at Easter Road were a success, winning the Championship title in 2017 and then leading Hibs to a fourth-placed

Premiership finish and Europa League qualification last year.

But his spell in Leith came to a curious end last month when, having initially been suspended along with assistant Garry Parker following an alleged training ground bust-up with players and staff, it was announced he had left Hibs by mutual consent with no disciplinary proceedings in place.

Brendan Rodgers claims he’d taken Celtic as far as he could