Ruud van Nistelrooy may have no choice but to start a player who has frequently been left on the bench since he took over from Steve Cooper.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed as Steve Cooper’s successor in late November 2024.
The former Nottingham Forest manager endured a difficult spell at the King Power Stadium and was dismissed after overseeing just 12 Premier League matches.
Van Nistelrooy has faced similar challenges during his tenure in the Midlands, and in an attempt to revitalize the team, he has sidelined a player who was once a key figure at Leicester City.
Leicester’s 2024 summer transfer window was largely unsuccessful, but one signing who made a strong impression early in the season was Facundo Buonanotte.
Ruud van Nistelrooy could be forced to start Facundo Buonanotte for Leicester City vs Arsenal:
Speaking in late November, as reported by Leicestershire Live, Cooper praised the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee.
He said: “We’ve been really impressed. The highlights of his game have been shown quite often. You can see the obvious abilities. First and foremost, he’s a really good lad.
“He’s really settled in here. He’s really down to earth and he’s bought into the dressing room and also what we’re asking of him in terms of how we want him to play, while giving him the freedom.
“He’s got a really good training ethic, he’s aggressive in his own way in terms of wanting to win. That adds to his football personality and the ability you see. We’re enjoying working with him, we really enjoy pushing him and trying to get the best out of him.”
Buonanotte scored three goals and provided two assists in 10 Premier League appearances under Cooper. However, since Van Nistelrooy took charge, the 20-year-old has started only three league games and has yet to contribute a goal or an assist.
However, Patson Daka sustained an injury during Leicester’s loss to Manchester United on Friday, while Jamie Vardy was absent from the matchday squad amid rumors of an injury.
As a result, Van Nistelrooy was forced to bring Buonanotte on late in the game and move Jordan Ayew into a forward role.
If Daka and Vardy remain sidelined for the clash against Arsenal on February 15th, it is likely that the South American will have to be included in the starting lineup.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s subtle dig at Leicester City star Facundo Buonanotte:
Buonanotte is clearly a talented player, and Van Nistelrooy arguably should have given him more starts, but for reasons unknown, the manager has chosen not to.
Reports on deadline day suggested that Buonanotte wanted to leave Leicester, but no deal materialized as the Foxes would have had to terminate the loan agreement themselves.
The Brighton loanee may now be handed a rare opportunity to start next weekend, likely to the frustration of his manager.
Van Nistelrooy appeared to take a subtle jab at Buonanotte earlier this week, stating: “When you strengthen the team, your chances will improve, there’s no doubt about that.
“But the means were not there to do so. It wasn’t possible. Also the loans were blocked because we have two players. The disappointment is that two loans are not having the minutes so they’re not strengthening the team. We looked at foreign loans.”
Regardless, given Leicester’s limited squad depth and the potential absence of two strikers, Buonanotte is almost certain to feature in some capacity against Arsenal this Saturday.
