An “ambitious” figure has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Steve Cooper at Leicester City, with reports suggesting Ruud van Nistelrooy has held talks with the club.
The Foxes, now searching for their third manager in less than two years, parted ways with Cooper on Sunday following a string of poor results.
Leicester Seek Stability After Sacking Cooper
Leicester’s start to the season has been anything but consistent. An encouraging opening-day draw against Tottenham Hotspur quickly gave way to disappointing defeats against teams seen as potential relegation rivals.
The Foxes are now winless in their last five games across all competitions and have only managed two league victories this term—both coming back in early October against Bournemouth and Southampton.
The club’s decision to dismiss Cooper came after a heavy 3-0 defeat to Manchester United, followed by another poor performance against Chelsea. Former Leicester player Matt Piper has questioned the timing of the sacking, suggesting the club’s approach feels rushed and poorly thought out.
“What I’m most shocked about is the really strange timing,” Piper told reporters.
“The more I think of it, it’s such strange timing; you get beat by Man Utd (3-0), and it’s the worst performance of the season by a country mile—we just didn’t turn up.
“Then you’ve got a two-week international break, you leave the manager in, you get beat by Chelsea, and then you sack him. It’s strange timing. I can understand that timeline if they think, ‘right, we’ve got to move Steve on,’ but they’ve spoken to someone else, and they’re ready to go—then it makes sense.
“But, the club have come out and said that’s not the case. We did this before, and it bit us on the backside. I hope they’ve not gone down that line again, because the last time we did that it didn’t work out well at all.”
Van Nistelrooy Emerges as Leading Candidate
Despite the doubts surrounding Leicester’s decision-making process, the search for Cooper’s successor could already be nearing its conclusion.
According to Football Insider, Ruud van Nistelrooy has emerged as the frontrunner for the job after holding discussions with the club.
The Dutchman, described as “very ambitious and very driven” by former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, is currently unemployed after a brief stint as interim manager at Old Trafford earlier this season.
Van Nistelrooy stepped in after Ten Hag’s sacking and guided United to three wins in four matches, two of which came against Leicester.
However, his tenure was cut short when Ruben Amorim took charge and opted to bring in his own backroom staff.
Van Nistelrooy’s recent spell at United appears to have reignited interest in his managerial career.
Bundesliga 2 outfit Hamburger SV are reportedly keen to secure his services, but Leicester’s Premier League status may offer a more enticing opportunity for the 48-year-old.
Leicester Weighing Options
Leicester are said to be aware of the German interest and have moved swiftly to speak with Van Nistelrooy, propelling him ahead of other candidates such as David Moyes and Graham Potter.
For the Foxes, Van Nistelrooy’s experience, reputation, and familiarity with English football make him an appealing option to lead their recovery.
The club is reportedly eager to appoint a new manager before their upcoming match against Brentford, hoping a fresh face can inject energy into a faltering squad.
Whether Van Nistelrooy ultimately chooses Leicester over other suitors remains to be seen, but the Foxes appear to have set their sights on the former Dutch international as the man to turn their season around.