Ruud van Nistelrooy is poised to become Leicester City’s new manager, replacing Steve Cooper, who was sacked after just 157 days in charge.
Cooper’s tenure ended following a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Chelsea, leaving Leicester 16th on the table, just one point above the relegation zone.
Van Nistelrooy, 48, steps in after recently concluding his interim role at Manchester United, where he filled in following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal.
Although he guided United to three wins and a draw, including two victories over Leicester, he was not retained under incoming manager Ruben Amorim’s staff.
This marks Van Nistelrooy’s return to full-time management following his first managerial stint at PSV Eindhoven in the 2022-23 season, where he won the Dutch Cup.
His immediate challenge will be to revive a Leicester squad that struggled under Cooper’s leadership. Senior players like Jamie Vardy showed support for Cooper, but others were not as receptive.
Van Nistelrooy’s first task is to steer the team away from the relegation zone, with Leicester’s next match against Brentford, though caretaker manager Ben Dawson will oversee that game as Van Nistelrooy prepares for his full-time duties.
