Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Netherlands striker, has emerged as the leading candidate to take over as Leicester City’s next manager. The Dutchman, who had a brief spell as interim manager at United and also enjoyed success at PSV Eindhoven, where he won the Dutch Cup, is now considered the favourite to replace Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium. Van Nistelrooy is reportedly ahead of other potential candidates, including David Moyes and Graham Potter, after Cooper’s departure on Sunday, which followed a disappointing tenure that saw Leicester sitting in 16th place in the Premier League.
With his impressive playing career and managerial experience, Van Nistelrooy is expected to win over Leicester fans, something Cooper struggled to do. The former Nottingham Forest manager faced the tough task of succeeding Enzo Maresca, who left the club for a new role rather than being sacked. Van Nistelrooy’s reputation as a world-class striker has earned him praise from football figures like Paul Scholes, who once described him as the best finisher he ever played with. Leicester fans will be hoping that the arrival of Van Nistelrooy can inspire a similar clinical edge in their current forwards.
