Ruud van Nistelrooy feels talks with Leicester over his future at the club are long overdue as the Foxes creep ever closer to relegation from the Premier League.
Leicester seem destined for a return to the Championship and currently sit in 19th, 12 points off 17th-placed Wolves with just eight games to play.
An outcome that has been on the cards for months, it will be the club’s second demotion in three seasons, with much of the current squad having also been involved in the team that went down in 2022/23.
After only signing defender Woyo Coulibaly in the winter transfer window due to profit and sustainability rule (PSR) concerns, Van Nistelrooy has insisted that he needs to be “aligned” with the club over squad-building plans for next season, which could decide whether he stays at the King Power Stadium post-relegation.
“It needs to be sorted yesterday,” Van Nistelrooy said when asked if talks over future plans had taken place. “I think it’s very important to be aligned on that with the club.
“We have to find out over the coming weeks because, of course, coming in December and how the winter window went, taking it into the new season and the challenges we face, it’s very important for me to be aligned and what the possibilities are there.
“That alignment has to take place.”
Van Nistelrooy has endured a torrid spell at Leicester since his arrival at the end of 2024, losing 14 of his last 15 games in charge as his side have fallen further away from safety.
Nevertheless, the Foxes will surely be keen to prevent a repeat of last summer, which saw changes in the dugout muddle their preparations for the upcoming campaign.
After losing Championship-winning boss Enzo Maresca to Chelsea, Steve Cooper was hastily appointed as his successor, who had differing thoughts on recruitment to his previous incumbent. The Welshman lasted just 12 games at the helm before being replaced by Van Nistelrooy.
Leicester should see it as imperative not to make the same mistakes and will surely act to solve the situation as soon as possible to allow for a cleaner transition into next term.
