Watches of Premier League Managers: Who Rules the 2026/27 Dugout?

Nine of the twenty Premier League clubs start the 2026/27 season with a new manager, the biggest summer shake-up the league has seen. Xabi Alonso has taken over at Chelsea, Enzo Maresca has replaced Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Michael Carrick holds the Manchester United job, Roberto De Zerbi leads Tottenham and Frank Lampard returns to the top flight with promoted Coventry City. Every one of those appointments changes the tactical picture. A few of them also change the horological one.

Touchline watch spotting is a smaller sport than tracking players' wrists, which we cover in depth in our piece on the luxury watches worn at the PFA Premier League Awards. Managers earn less than their stars, dress for work in club training kit and rarely court attention. That makes the collectors among them more interesting, not less. When a manager wears a platinum Patek Philippe to a Championship away day, it is a choice, not a sponsorship. Here is every verified wrist in the 2026/27 dugout, ranked by what we can actually document.

Premier League Managers and Their Watches at a Glance

Manager	Club (2026/27)	Signature watch	Reference	Estimated value
Frank Lampard	Coventry City	Patek Philippe Nautilus, platinum with blue sapphires	5711/111P-001	£700,000 to £800,000
Xabi Alonso	Chelsea	Franck Muller Champions League squad watch, No 14 of 30	Unique commission	Not offered for sale
Mikel Arteta	Arsenal	Rolex GMT-Master II, Oystersteel	116710LN	£11,500
David Moyes	Everton	Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moonphase, white gold	5396G	Retailed at $53,460
Micahel Carrick	Manchester United	Richard Mille RM 011 "Black Phantom" Flyback Chronograph Limited Edition	RM 011	£260,000 to £330,000
Pep Guardiola (departed)	N/A (Formerly Man. City Head Coach)	Richard Mille RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal	RM 27-01	Reported around 1 million pounds

Frank Lampard: The Best Watch Collection in the Premier League Dugout

Coventry City won promotion under Lampard in his first full season in charge, and his return brings the deepest documented manager collection back to the Premier League. Lampard has collected Patek Philippe seriously since his Chelsea playing days, and watch press coverage of his wrist stretches back over a decade, with the reported highlights reading like an auction catalogue.

Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/111P-001

Firstly, the elusive platinum Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 5711/111P-001, featuring 32 blue baguette-cut sapphire gemstones set into the bezel and blue sapphires applied to the sunburst dial. Whilst it is unknown exactly how many pieces Patek produced, it is estimated that only 10 are available worldwide. The model is highly limited, bought exclusively by the brand's VIP clients and biggest collectors. 

Patek Philippe Nautilus Flyback Chronograph Ref. 5976/1G-001

Next, Lampard has been seen wearing the 18k white gold Nautilus chronograph reference 5976/1G limited to 1,300 pieces. Released in 2016 to celebrate the Nautilus' 40th anniversary, this piece features a blue sunburst dial with an engraving stating "1976-40-2016" - a nod to the anniversary of its first production and the year marking its 40th birthday. 

Patek Philippe Cubitus Moonphase Ref. 5822P-001

The most current spot matters most for 2026/27. During his Everton spell and since, Lampard has been photographed wearing the Cubitus 5822P, the platinum grand date, day and moonphase version of Patek's first new collection in 25 years, with a reported market value around $170,000. Time 4 Diamonds sources the same reference, with delivery on sourced watches within 30 days.

Xabi Alonso: Chelsea's Manager Is a Trained Collector

Alonso arrived at Stamford Bridge in July 2026 after spells at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid, and he brings the most curated taste in the dugout. He has been an IWC Schaffhausen ambassador since his playing days and filmed a walkthrough of his collection for Mr Porter in 2016, which remains one of the better footballer watch films ever made. Notably, two pieces in it carry real weight.

Franck Muller Limited Edition

The first is a Franck Muller commissioned for Liverpool's 2005 Champions League-winning squad in Istanbul, numbered 14 of 30 for his shirt number. The engraving on the caseback states "AC Milan / V / LIVERPOOL / ISTANBUL / 25-05-05 / NO. 14/30, and Alonso has said that the watch started his interest in horology. 

Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 5170G-001

When announced as Chelsea manager, Alonso took to a press conference with the Patek Philippe Chronograph reference 5170G-001. Cast in 18k white gold, the case measures 39.4mm in diameter and approximately 10.9mm thick, with the legendary Calibre CH 29-535 PS housed inside it. There is a silvery-white opaline dial, featuring applied black gold Breguet numerals and a distinctive pulsometer scale around the outer rim. This is a very understated piece from Patek Philippe, suitable mainly for dress occasions, and one most definitely worthy of being on the wrist on announcement day.  

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Ref. 26320OR

As well as Franck Muller and Patek Philippe, Alonso has been photographed with the 41mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in 18k rose gold with a black dial and chocolate brown hues. Alonso wears it with a black alligator leather strap, keeping it cool and classy just like his footballing demeanour. That is a collector's instinct, not a footballer's shopping habit. For anyone drawn to the same modern Royal Oak Chronograph family Alonso wears, Time 4 Diamonds sources current 26240 generation references to order.

Mikel Arteta: The Champion Manager and His Rolex GMT-Master II

Arteta ended Arsenal's 22-year wait for the title in 2025/26 and won Manager of the Season doing it, so his wrist carries extra attention this year. His constant companion is a Rolex GMT-Master II reference 116710LN, the all-black ceramic bezel generation produced from 2007 to 2019 with the calibre 3186 inside a 40mm Oystersteel case. 

The green 24-hour hand is the only colour on an otherwise murdered-out watch, which reads as an accidental Arsenal reference, and the 116710LN has quietly become one of the smarter discontinued Rolex buys of the last five years. Our Rolex GMT-Master II collection covers the reference family in depth. For collectors who want Arteta's exact reference with a Time 4 Diamonds twist, this customised 116710LN is in our London showroom now.

David Moyes: Everton's Quiet Flex 

Moyes has the least showy taste of the league's serious wearers, which suits him. He has been spotted rocking one timepiece from Patek Philippe, and one from Audemars Piguet, which is some serious watch game from someone you wouldn't expect. No offence, Moysie.  

Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moonphase Ref. 5396G-011

Back at Everton for 2026/27, he has been photographed several times, first at West Ham, wearing a white gold Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moonphase reference 5396G-011, a 38.5mm dress watch with a silvery opaline dial that retailed at $53,460. It is the opposite of a touchline flex: an annual calendar with moon phase in a case most people would walk past, worn by a manager most people underestimate on style.

The 5396 is exactly the kind of piece that rarely sits in dealer windows and usually needs to be found. Time 4 Diamonds runs a dedicated watch sourcing service for discontinued and hard-to-find Patek Philippe references like this one, with delivery within 30 days on sourced pieces.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 15300OR

The second timepiece is an Audemars Piguet reference 15300OR, cast in 18k rose gold with a black dial and worn with a black alligator leather strap. This turns the legendary sporty model into a dress watch, yet Moysie wears it in his Everton coaching attire. The first time he was spotted wearing this Royal Oak was back when he signed for Sunderland as manager.   

Pep Guardiola's Richard Mille Legacy: The Benchmark the New Dugout Must Match

Guardiola's decade at Manchester City ended in 2026 with Enzo Maresca stepping into his seat, and no departure leaves a bigger hole in touchline watch spotting. Guardiola turned the technical area into a Richard Mille runway, seen wearing various timepieces.

Richard Mille RM27-01 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

The peak came at the Bernabeu in April 2024, when he watched City play Real Madrid wearing an RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal, a manual-winding tourbillon suspended on cables, limited to 50 pieces and weighing 18.83 grams including the strap. Whilst the RM27-01 is known to be produced out of a carbon nanotube-infused polymer, this piece Guardiola is wearing is crafted out of Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT. The grey carbon variant has only 50 available worldwide, whilst this white piece is limited to just 10!

Richard Mille RM67-02 Automatic Winding Extra Flat 

Guardiola has also worn an RM 67-02 in a United Arab Emirates colourway, which is incredibly rare as it is an edition made for the UAE Team Emirates cycling team. The RM67-02 is arguably the most sought-after piece produced by Richard Mille and one of the most admired by collectors due to its refined, sleek design. 

Richard Mille RM 010 Automatic AMC Blue

The third Richard Mille watch Pep has worn is an RM 010 in a Manchester City blue execution during his earlier seasons. The RM 010 is one of the most iconic models, first produced in 2006, five years after the brand was founded. Here, Pep rocks it casually in a very Man. City blue attire.

Michael Carrick: The Surprise Package

Michael Carrick steps into the 2026/27 season as the newly-appointed head coach of Manchester United, following a successful campaign at the end of last season. His wrist action last season was very interesting and quite unexpected to say the least, having been pictured wearing a Richard Mille piece and an Artisan de Genève-produced Rolex Daytona.

Rolex Daytona "Shades of Blue" Challenge Project by Artisans de Genève

On his opening day as manager of Man. United, Carrick took charge against local rivals Man. City wearing a Rolex Daytona, but not just any Daytona, a piece crafted by Artisans de Genève. He wore the "Shades of Blue" Challenge Project, a custom timepiece from the independent workshop created for a private client. The idea was to explore various shades of blue, hence the name of the project, with some extra alterations, like the vintage-inspired bezel, an open caseback, and reworked chronograph pushers. 

Richard Mille RM 011 Flyback Chronograph "Black Phantom"

Starting with his Richard Mille RM 011, nicknamed the "Black Phantom" for its stealthy all-blacked-out aesthetic. This was a limited edition piece released exclusively for the North and South American markets, with only 50 pieces available worldwide. The case and bezel are crafted from TZP black ceramic, whilst the centre caseband, crown and pushers are made out of NTPT Carbon. There are multiple functions and complications part of this model through the automatic RMAC1 Calibre, such as a flyback chronograph, annual calendar, oversized date and variable-geometry rotor. 

The Rest of the 2026/27 Dugout: Sports Watches, Smartwatches and Bare Wrists

Honesty matters in this genre, so here it is: most Premier League managers do not wear anything worth photographing. Training kit culture means smartwatches and fitness trackers dominate the technical area, and several of this summer's arrivals, including Enzo Maresca at Manchester City, Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham, Andoni Iraola at Liverpool and Matthias Jaissle at Newcastle, have yet to show a notable mechanical piece on the touchline. But that could change very quickly. 

Unai Emery is the curiosity of the group, as the Aston Villa manager signed an endorsement deal with Italian brand CT Scuderia in 2015 and wore the 46mm CS10106 chronograph, a watch that retailed at $1,200. Among past occupants of these dugouts, the bar was higher: Ange Postecoglou wore an IWC Portugieser Automatic at Tottenham, Sean Dyche was photographed in a Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time 5990/1A, and Jurgen Klopp's IWC pieces at Liverpool included an Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar in Ceratanium limited to 50 pieces.

The full player picture is far richer, as our guides to the Erling Haaland watch collection, the Mohamed Salah watch collection, and the Harry Kane watch collection show.

What Manager Watches Tell Us About the Market

Three patterns stand out across every verified manager spot. First, Patek Philippe dominates at the top. Lampard, Moyes and past dugout names like Dyche all reach for Geneva's most conservative house, and the specific references they choose include annual calendars, split-seconds chronographs, anniversary Nautilus models. These pieces sit at the collector end rather than the entry-level end of the spectrum. You can see the same pull in our coverage of the watches worn at the Ballon d'Or, where Patek and Richard Mille split the podium.

Second, discontinued references beat current catalogue pieces. Arteta's GMT-Master II reference 116710LN and Moyes's Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moonphase reference 5396G-011 are all out of production, which is where scarcity and story live. 

Third, gifts and dedicated features become anchors. Alonso's Istanbul Franck Muller and his Euro 2012 IWC are the two watches he talks about most, worth more to him than anything he could buy. Commemorative pieces built around a personal milestone are exactly what our bespoke workshop produces, from custom dials to full diamond setting, and you can see that work in the Time 4 Diamonds bespoke watches collection.

FAQ: Premier League Managers and Their Watches

Which Premier League manager has the best watch collection?

Frank Lampard of Coventry City has the strongest documented collection among 2026/27 Premier League managers. His reported pieces include a platinum Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/111P, the 40th anniversary Nautilus Chronograph 5976/1G, a Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P with salmon dial, a Cubitus 5822P, an Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A, a Richard Mille RM 011 Americas White and a yellow gold Rolex Daytona 16520.

What watch does Pep Guardiola wear?

Guardiola is most associated with Richard Mille. His documented pieces include the RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal, a 50-piece tourbillon weighing 18.83 grams, an RM 67-02 in UAE colours, an RM 010 in Manchester City blue, an IWC Big Pilot and a white gold Rolex Cellini 50509. He left Manchester City at the end of the 2025/26 season.

What watch does Mikel Arteta wear?

Arteta wears a Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710LN, the all-black ceramic bezel model produced from 2007 to 2019.

What watches does Xabi Alonso own?

Alonso is an IWC Schaffhausen ambassador. His collection includes a Franck Muller numbered 14 of 30 made for Liverpool's 2005 Champions League winning squad, a Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 5170G-001, an IWC Portugieser received for Spain's Euro 2012 victory and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in 41mm rose gold. He has said he keeps the watches as a legacy for his son.

Do football managers wear luxury watches during matches?

Some do. Guardiola regularly wore Richard Mille tourbillons in the technical area, and Arteta wears his GMT-Master II on match days, but most managers wear smartwatches or nothing during matches because they work in training kit. Collectors like Lampard tend to save their most valuable Patek Philippe pieces for press duties and formal occasions.

If a manager's watch on this list has you thinking about your own collection, in either direction, our team can help. We buy as well as sell, and you can get a same-day valuation through our sell your watch service at our London Bridge showroom. Time 4 Diamonds has traded, customised and sourced the exact references worn on these touchlines since 2005.