Former Manchester United star and interim manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy, has been appointed as the new head coach of Leicester City. The announcement was made on Friday, just weeks after his departure from Manchester United.
The 48-year-old Dutchman replaces Steve Cooper, who was sacked after a poor start to the Premier League campaign, with Leicester languishing in 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone.
“I’m proud, I’m excited. Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic,” Van Nistelrooy said in a club statement.
“The recent history of the club is impressive. I’m excited to start, get to know everyone, and give everything I can for the football club.”
A Proven Record of Success
Leicester City chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha praised Van Nistelrooy’s credentials:
“Ruud’s experience, knowledge, and winning mentality will undoubtedly bring great value to us, and we look forward to supporting him in achieving success for our fans and our club.”
Van Nistelrooy’s managerial experience includes a successful year at PSV Eindhoven in 2022/23, and his brief stint as Manchester United’s caretaker manager saw him secure two wins over Leicester.
A New Chapter for Leicester
Leicester City, known for their miraculous Premier League title win in 2015/16 and FA Cup triumph in 2021, were relegated from the top flight two years ago. They bounced back immediately under Enzo Maresca, who now manages Chelsea.
Van Nistelrooy will officially take charge on Sunday, with caretaker manager Ben Dawson overseeing Saturday’s clash with Brentford. However, the new boss will attend the match to observe his team.
Leicester fans will be hopeful that Van Nistelrooy’s winning mentality as a prolific player for Manchester United, PSV, and Real Madrid will translate into managerial success at the King Power Stadium.
