Van Nistelrooy set to become Leicester City’s new manager

Former Manchester United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to become Leicester City’s new manager, replacing Steve Cooper, who was sacked after just 157 days in charge. Cooper’s exit followed Leicester’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

Van Nistelrooy, 48, will step into his new role just two weeks after departing Manchester United, where he served as interim head coach following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal. During his brief tenure at United, Van Nistelrooy secured three wins and one draw but left after learning he would not be part of new manager Ruben Amorim’s backroom staff.

Interestingly, two of Van Nistelrooy’s victories came against Leicester—a 5-2 Carabao Cup win and a 3-0 Premier League triumph earlier this month.

Leicester, currently sitting 16th in the Premier League with just one point separating them from the relegation zone, are in urgent need of a turnaround. Cooper’s brief tenure saw only two Premier League wins, leaving the Foxes struggling after replacing Enzo Maresca, who joined Chelsea in the summer.

Van Nistelrooy’s managerial experience includes a full season in charge of PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, where he won the Dutch Cup. He joined Manchester United as an assistant coach in July before taking over as interim manager.

Leicester’s next fixture is a Premier League clash away at Brentford on Saturday. While it remains uncertain if Van Nistelrooy will be in the dugout, the short timeframe suggests caretaker manager Ben Dawson—previously part of Cooper’s staff—may lead the team.

Van Nistelrooy faces the challenge of uniting a dressing room reportedly divided under Cooper. While senior players like Jamie Vardy supported the former Nottingham Forest manager, Cooper struggled to gain full backing from the entire squad. Winning over the players will be key to Van Nistelrooy’s success at the King Power Stadium.