Leicester City on the Verge of Appointing Ruud Van Nistelrooy as Successor to Steve Cooper

Leicester City made the tough call to part ways with Steve Cooper after Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea, ending his tenure just three months in. Sitting 16th in the table with six defeats from their opening 12 matches, the Foxes find themselves in a precarious position. At this critical crossroads, they’re leaving no stone unturned in the hunt for the right manager to steady the ship.

And it seems they’ve set their sights on none other than Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy to take the reins. The Dutchman is poised to become the new Leicester City manager just weeks after handing over the coaching job at Manchester United to Ruben Amorim. The former Red Devils striker is expected to finalize all formalities in the coming hours. News of Van Nistelrooy’s agreement with Leicester broke last evening, making waves across media outlets. Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the development, stating: “Ruud van Nistelrooy set to be appointed as new Leicester City head coach! Agreement done and documents being signed with his camp.” 

Leicester’s hierarchy had a handful of strong contenders for the role, including ex-Wolfsburg boss Niko Kovac and current West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan. Former Brighton manager Graham Potter was also in the mix, but the final nod came from club owner Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha and director of football Jon Rudkin, who chose Van Nistelrooy to lead the Foxes out of troubled waters. Sitting precariously in 16th place and just a point above the relegation zone, Leicester are in desperate need of a revival, and Van Nistelrooy has his work cut out for him. 

Before this, Van Nistelrooy served as Manchester United’s interim manager for four games following Erik ten Hag’s sacking in late October. In that brief stint, he led the team to three wins—including two against Leicester—and a draw with Chelsea. Earlier in his managerial career, he made waves at PSV Eindhoven, the club where he first rose to prominence as a player. As head coach, he guided PSV to the Dutch Cup in 2023 before stepping down, citing a lack of support within the club.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game as Leicester City manager is set to be a nail-biter—a relegation six-pointer against Brentford this Saturday. The Dutchman faces a daunting task right out of the gate, as the Bees have transformed their Gtech Stadium into a fortress this season. They boast the best home record in the Premier League, with five wins and a draw from six games. So, can the Manchester United legend kickstart his reign with a statement victory, or will Brentford’s home dominance continue to keep Leicester in the relegation mire?