Ruud van Nistelrooy Faces £7m Leicester City Transfer Decision Crucial to Survival – Opinion

Ruud van Nistelrooy faces a challenging task as he takes over as Leicester City manager, stepping in after Steve Cooper’s departure.

The Dutchman, appointed earlier this week, will lead the Foxes for the first time in their Premier League clash against West Ham United on Tuesday evening.

Van Nistelrooy witnessed Leicester’s 4-1 defeat to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium last weekend, a result that left the team 16th in the table, just one point above 19th-placed Ipswich Town.

With relegation looming, the 48-year-old has substantial work to do to turn the season around, starting with strengthening Leicester’s fragile defense.

Defenders Wout Faes and James Justin were particularly poor against Brentford, continuing a trend of underwhelming performances this season.

While shoring up the backline is critical, Leicester’s attacking options also require urgent attention.

Decisions in Attack

Leicester brought in Odsonne Edouard from Crystal Palace on deadline day, but he has yet to find the net in the Premier League for his new team.

Adding to the woes, forward Abdul Fatawu was sidelined for the season due to injury last month.

Other attacking options, including a 37-year-old Jamie Vardy and recently returned Patson Daka, have struggled to provide consistent goals.

Van Nistelrooy could potentially address these issues by recalling Tom Cannon, a 21-year-old striker signed from Everton for around £7 million.

Cannon, currently on loan at Stoke City, has impressed with seven goals and one assist in 14 Championship appearances this season, a stark contrast to his underwhelming debut campaign for Leicester, where he scored just three times in 17 games.

Options for Cannon

Van Nistelrooy faces three choices regarding Cannon’s future.

He could let the striker complete his loan spell at Stoke, recall him in January to bolster Leicester’s attack, or recall and sell him to fund other transfers.

Leicester’s survival battle could benefit from Cannon’s return, as his recent form suggests he might provide much-needed firepower up front, especially given Edouard’s ongoing struggles.

Alternatively, funds from Cannon’s sale could be reinvested in securing a more experienced player in the winter transfer window.

Relegation Fight

Leicester’s precarious position demands swift and effective decisions.

Van Nistelrooy must not only resolve defensive issues but also find ways to ignite the team’s attack.

Cannon’s future, whether as part of Leicester’s squad or as a financial asset, could play a pivotal role in shaping their survival prospects.

As the January transfer window approaches, all eyes will be on Van Nistelrooy to see how he addresses these challenges.

With Leicester embroiled in a relegation battle, his decisions in the coming weeks could define the club’s fate this season.