A former Leicester City striker has accused the club’s owners of failing to deliver on promises made to manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy oversaw his side’s ninth defeat in 10 Premier League games, leaving Leicester firmly entrenched in the relegation zone.
Despite a spirited performance, the Foxes fell to Arsenal, prompting fans to direct their frustration at director of football Jon Rudkin during a protest inside the King Power Stadium.
Poor recruitment has been a major issue this season, with high-profile signings like Oliver Skipp failing to impress and Odsonne Edouard earning a substantial wage despite limited playing time.
Matt Piper calls out Leicester owners over Van Nistelrooy claim:
When Van Nistelrooy was appointed in November, he emphasized that the January transfer window was a crucial part of his negotiations. The Dutchman aimed to strengthen four key positions but only managed to secure the signing of Woyo Coulibaly for £3 million.
Reports later emerged that Leicester were still concerned about Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), despite avoiding a charge earlier in the season.
Speaking on the When You’re Smiling podcast after the Arsenal defeat, former Leicester striker Matt Piper criticized the board for letting Van Nistelrooy down, suggesting that promises of available funds were not honored.
He said: “In ‘Top’s’ [Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha] notes this afternoon he spoke about PSR and that’s why they were unable to bring anyone in.
“If we’re restricted because of PSR and the rules created around that, I understand.
“But, when you take someone on like Ruud van Nistelrooy, they clearly would have said we’ve done our homework and we’re going to have a little money to spend in January.
“That has turned out to be a lie. We had the money to spend but we couldn’t spend it in January due to PSR. That is what ‘Top’ is telling us.
“What you’ve done to Ruud there is like trying to tell him to ice-skate up a hill.”
Will Ruud van Nistelrooy be sacked as Leicester City manager?
There are arguments to suggest that Van Nistelrooy could face the sack, given his poor points-per-game record compared to his predecessor, Steve Cooper.
| Steve Cooper points-per-game as Leicester manager | Ruud van Nistelrooy points-per-game as Leicester manager |
|---|---|
| 0.8 | 0.5 |
Some journalists have even blamed Leicester fans for Cooper’s dismissal. However, despite just two league wins since November, Leicester’s owners are unlikely to sack Van Nistelrooy, as they cannot afford to make another managerial change.
There were concerns that Van Nistelrooy might resign due to the lack of support in the transfer market, but the Dutchman has dismissed those rumors and appears determined to guide the Foxes to Premier League survival.
