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- Leicester confirms Van Nistelrooy exit
Leicester confirms Van Nistelrooy exit
Leicester City has confirmed it has parted company with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy ahead of its return to the EFL Championship.
Van Nistelrooy had long been expected to depart the Foxes, having failed to keep them in the Premier League after replacing Steve Cooper midway through 2024-2025.
Leicester's relegation was confirmed with five matches of the season remaining. Only five teams have ever been relegated at an earlier point of a campaign – Southampton in 2024-2025 (seven games remaining), Ipswich Town in 1994-1995, Derby County in 2007-2008, Huddersfield Town in 2018-2019 and Sheffield United in 2020-2021 (all six).
Van Nistelrooy only managed four victories in 25 Premier League matches in charge of Leicester for a win rate of 16 per cent, drawing three and losing 18.
Leicester only scored 17 goals in those matches, two fewer than van Nistelrooy scored as a player in his first 25 appearances in the competition for Manchester United (19 in 2001-2002).
Van Nistelrooy also became the first manager since Portsmouth's Freddie Cox in 1958-1959 to lead a team through two separate seven-game losing streaks in a single top-flight season.
The second of those runs, which extended to eight games, also saw Leicester fail to score a single goal.
Between December and April, it also became the first team in the history of English football's top four tiers to lose nine consecutive home matches without scoring.
Van Nistelrooy said: "I would like to personally thank the Leicester City players, coaches, academy and all the staff I have worked with for their professionalism and dedication during my time at the club and to thank the fans for their support."
Leicester confirmed the club's existing first-team staff will take pre-season training when the players return on 30 June, as it works on sourcing a replacement.
The Foxes will begin their 2025-2026 Championship campaign at home to Sheffield Wednesday.
Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is among the reported candidates to replace Van Nistelrooy, with former Everton and Burnley manager Sean Dyche having also been linked with the job.
