Ruud van Nistelrooy set to succeed Steve Cooper as Leicester manager

Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to take the helm as the new manager of Leicester City, marking a swift return to the Premier League following his departure from Manchester United.

Van Nistelrooy, a celebrated figure at United, is likely to take over from Steve Cooper, who was dismissed last Sunday. Cooper's final match ended in a home loss to Enzo Maresca, his predecessor, who is now managing the successful Chelsea team.

Leicester had shown interest in both Graham Potter and Carlos Corberán prior to appointing Cooper over the summer. However, this week they had fruitful discussions with Van Nistelrooy. The club was hesitant to spend money on a manager's compensation, which made him a more appealing choice.

Van Nistelrooy once had a brief stint as the manager of PSV Eindhoven, the team where he first rose to prominence as a player. He clinched the Dutch Cup in 2023 but chose to step down afterward, mentioning that he felt unsupported by the club.

Leicester currently sits in 16th place in the standings, just one point clear of the relegation zone. The Dutch coach might make his debut in a match against Brentford on Saturday, followed by games against West Ham, Brighton, Newcastle, and Wolves.

On Tuesday, Leicester's players got back to practice under the guidance of first-team coach Ben Dawson, who came over from Newcastle this summer. This followed a festive celebration in Copenhagen, where some players were caught on camera dancing at a club next to a sign that said, "Enzo I miss you."

In July, Van Nistelrooy came on board as an assistant coach for United, but after Erik ten Hag was let go, he stepped up as the interim head coach. During his time in that role, he managed four matches, achieving three victories and one draw.

During his time as caretaker manager, Van Nistelrooy achieved two victories over Leicester. He led the team to a 5-2 triumph in the Carabao Cup and secured a 3-0 win in the league in his last game in that role.