RUUD VAN NISTELROOY APPOINTED AS LEICESTER CITY MANAGER

Former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed as the new manager of Leicester City, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

Van Nistelrooy, 48, has signed a contract until the end of the 2027 season and succeeds Steve Cooper as Leicester boss after the English coach was sacked on Sunday, a day after their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester confirmed that Van Nistelrooy will attend the team's match against Brentford on Saturday and will officially start in his new role the following day. First team coach Ben Dawson will take charge of the side at the weekend.

"I'm proud, I'm excited," Van Nistelrooy said in a statement. "Everybody that I speak to about Leicester City Football Club is enthusiastic. They have great stories about the quality of the people working at the club, the supporters and, of course, the recent history of the club is impressive. I'm excited to start and to get to know everyone and give everything I can for the football club."

Van Nistelrooy's first game in charge will be against West Ham on Tuesday.

"It is my pleasure to welcome Ruud to Leicester City," chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said. "He joins a club with a rich history, passionate supporters, and a talented squad, and we are all excited to see the impact he can have as we embark on this new chapter together.

"Ruud's experience, knowledge, and winning mentality will undoubtedly bring great value to us, and we look forward to supporting him in achieving success for our fans and our club."

Ruud van Nistelrooy has signed a contract with Leicester City until the end of the 2026-27 season. Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images

The former Netherlands forward joined United's coaching staff in July as an assistant to compatriot Erik ten Hag. After Ten Hag was sacked last month, Van Nistelrooy took charge on an interim basis and had three wins and a draw in his four games at the helm before Ruben Amorim was hired as Ten Hag's full-time replacement.

Coincidentally, Van Nistelrooy's short tenure at Old Trafford included two wins over his new team -- a 5-2 thrashing of a weakened Leicester side in the Carabao Cup and a 3-0 win in the Premier League.

The Leicester job is Van Nistelrooy's second senior full-time managerial role, having led PSV Eindhoven for almost a season where he won the Dutch Cup before quitting near the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

The midlands club enjoyed a stunning Premier League title success in 2015-2016 but were relegated in 2023 before coming straight back up under Enzo Maresca, who then left to join Chelsea.

Leicester are 16th in the Premier League, one point clear of the relegation zone.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY SET FOR LEICESTER JOB - SOURCES

Ruud van Nistelrooy applauds the fans during his spell as interim head coach of Manchester United. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy is in line to take the head coach role at Premier League strugglers Leicester City, sources have told ESPN.

Talks between Leicester and Van Nistelrooy, who has also been linked with Hamburg, are ongoing but there is increasing positivity that a deal will be agreed for the Dutchman to succeed Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium.

Cooper was sacked on Sunday, a day after the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea which left Leicester 16th in the Premier League and just a point above the relegation places.

Cooper only lasted 15 games in the role after replacing Enzo Maresca in the summer following the Italian's departure to take charge at Chelsea.

Van Nistelrooy, who managed PSV Eindhoven for a year between 2022 and 2023, enjoyed a short spell as United's interim head coach following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag and the arrival of Ruben Amorim.

Coincidentally, two of Van Nistelrooy's games in charge were against Leicester. The first was a 5-2 win in the Carabao Cup and the second was a 3-0 victory in the league. Leicester's next game is against Brentford on Saturday.

Van Nistelrooy spent five successful seasons as a player at Old Trafford, scoring 150 goals in 219 games. He returned to the club in the summer as assistant to Ten Hag along with Rene Hake following the departures of Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent