Ruud van Nistelrooy wants to remain in charge at Leicester City despite overseeing one of the worst runs in the club’s recent history. After 17 defeats in 19 matches, including nine straight losses at home without scoring, many assumed his position would be under serious threat. Add to that just one clean sheet and only eight points collected from a possible 63, and most managers would have already been dismissed. Yet Van Nistelrooy is still in place, and still wants the job.
While Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester remains uncertain, the fact is that after a below-par season in the Premier League, the Foxes will be playing in the EFL Championship next season, and their position on the table could tell a very different story. Many fans and punters alike will likely back Leicester throughout the campaign at UK sports betting sites not on GamStop, which are known for offering competitive football odds, fast payouts across flexible transaction methods, and perks like welcome rewards, free bets, and deposit bonuses. These features make them a natural choice for anyone looking to follow and bet on the Foxes in the Championship.
While the Foxes will be playing in the Championship next season, the manager who will be standing in the dugout come August is still unclear. Earlier in the season, Leicester parted ways with Steve Cooper after 12 matches, even though the club had 10 points and sat outside the relegation zone. That decision was followed by Van Nistelrooy’s appointment, but results quickly worsened. When relegation became a near-certainty, and even after it was mathematically confirmed, the club held off from making another change. This has puzzled fans, who are now unsure what to expect heading into a summer that will require a full reset, both in terms of the squad and the club’s long-term direction.
Van Nistelrooy has made it clear that he is waiting on communication from the club’s hierarchy. With the end of the season approaching, he and the rest of the staff are keen to start planning, but no final decision has been communicated. He has already shared his thoughts with senior management about what needs to change, from the structure of the squad to how the club is run behind the scenes, but he remains as uncertain as the supporters.
The future of the club will be shaped by one figure: chairman and owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, commonly referred to as Khun Top. Known for keeping a low profile publicly, his programme notes before the Southampton match suggested that the planning process is underway, though without confirming if Van Nistelrooy will be involved. He wrote that decisions will be made in the coming weeks, and the foundations for next season are already being laid.
Van Nistelrooy’s belief that he now understands the club and its challenges could work in his favour. After five months in the role, he feels equipped to lead Leicester through the rebuild. If someone else is appointed, that process will likely have to restart, costing the club valuable time during a summer when swift action will be needed.
One issue he has highlighted internally is the lack of energy and physical preparation among the squad. According to those close to the situation, Van Nistelrooy has been frustrated by what he sees as insufficient intensity to play the kind of pressing, high-tempo football he believes in. In his view, this can only be fixed through a full pre-season and targeted signings, neither of which is possible without knowing if he will be in charge.
Keeping Van Nistelrooy would also have a financial benefit. The cost of dismissing a second manager in a single season would impact the club’s financial calculations under the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules. While money is not the only factor, it is a consideration. Stability is another. Leicester has had five managers over the past three years. At some point, consistency in the dugout becomes necessary if the club hopes to build long-term success.
Still, the club’s leadership must decide whether Van Nistelrooy is the right figure to lead the next phase, and whether supporters, who have expressed frustration throughout the season, will be willing to get behind him. The process of evaluating managerial options is already underway. Other candidates will be considered, and time is tight with preseason around the corner.
Van Nistelrooy briefly addressed his future before the Southampton game, stressing the need for decisions to be made quickly. After securing a rare win that ended the home losing streak, he chose to focus only on the final three fixtures. Whether he remains beyond them is still unclear, and that uncertainty now hangs over everything Leicester plan to do next.