Van Nistelrooy Set To Take Charge At Leicester City.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is on the brink of being appointed as Leicester City’s new manager, stepping in to replace Steve Cooper, who was dismissed after a short tenure of just 157 days.
Cooper’s departure follows a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Chelsea last Saturday, leaving Leicester 16th in the Premier League table, a precarious one point above the relegation zone after 12 matches.
Van Nistelrooy, 48, brings a wealth of experience both as a former elite striker and as a developing coach. His appointment comes shortly after he left his interim head coach role at Manchester United. During his brief stint at Old Trafford, he achieved three wins and a draw, including a commanding 5-2 Carabao Cup victory and a 3-0 Premier League triumph over Leicester. Despite his successes, Van Nistelrooy departed Manchester United after learning he would not be included in the backroom staff of new manager Ruben Amorim.
Leicester will hope Van Nistelrooy’s managerial skills can steer them away from relegation danger. His previous full-time managerial experience was with PSV Eindhoven in the 2022-23 season, where he led the team to a Dutch Cup victory. He subsequently joined Manchester United as an assistant coach in July 2023.
Van Nistelrooy will inherit a squad that has struggled to find form under Cooper, who was appointed this summer following Enzo Maresca’s move to Chelsea. Leicester have won just two Premier League matches this season, a far cry from their aspirations of rebuilding after last season’s challenges.
The Dutchman’s appointment marks a significant step for Leicester as they seek to stabilise their campaign and rediscover the spark that once made them Premier League champions.
