Ruud van Nistelrooy Set to Become Leicester City’s New Manager
Ruud van Nistelrooy Set to Become Leicester City's New Manager
- Ruud van Nistelrooy is poised to be appointed as Leicester City's new manager
- During his brief stint at United, van Nistelrooy led the team to three wins and one draw
- Cooper had been appointed in the summer to replace Enzo Maresca
Ruud van Nistelrooy is poised to be appointed as Leicester City’s new manager, replacing Steve Cooper, who was dismissed following a 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Saturday. Cooper’s tenure lasted just 157 days.
The 48-year-old Dutchman’s move to Leicester comes after he left his position as interim head coach at Manchester United two weeks ago, following Erik ten Hag’s departure.
During his brief stint at United, van Nistelrooy led the team to three wins and one draw but left when he was informed he wouldn’t be part of new manager Ruben Amorim’s backroom staff.
Van Nistelrooy’s recent record includes two victories over Leicester: a 5-2 win in the Carabao Cup and a 3-0 triumph in the Premier League earlier this month. The former Manchester United striker will join Leicester while the club sits 16th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone.
Cooper had been appointed in the summer to replace Enzo Maresca, but his stint was unsuccessful, with just two league wins. Van Nistelrooy’s only previous full-time managerial experience was a season at PSV Eindhoven in 2022-23, where he won the Dutch Cup, before joining Manchester United as an assistant coach.
Leicester’s next match is at Brentford on Saturday, though it is unlikely van Nistelrooy will be in charge due to the timing of his appointment. Ben Dawson, a member of Cooper’s staff, is set to continue as caretaker manager.
Van Nistelrooy will need to quickly win over a squad that struggled under Cooper’s leadership, with some senior players, including Jamie Vardy, showing support for the former Nottingham Forest manager but others failing to fully buy into his methods.
