What Leicester City must prepare for as relegation nears – and what’s next for Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy remains determined to fight for Leicester City’s Premier League survival until it is mathematically impossible.

However, at what stage does this determination become counterproductive? Should the club shift its focus to preparing for next season in the Championship instead?

Currently, Leicester sit nine points from safety with nine games remaining.

To avoid relegation, they must achieve a comeback even greater than their legendary great escape a decade ago, when they overcame a seven-point deficit at the same stage.

This time, the challenge is even steeper. Leicester have lost 13 of their last 14 league matches, failing to score in 11 of them.

Many fans have already accepted relegation as inevitable, turning their attention toward a return to the Championship. Statistical analysts at Opta give the club just a 0.5% chance of survival.

Despite the odds, van Nistelrooy’s determination is understandable.

While a one-in-200 chance seems improbable, Leicester have defied even greater odds before, famously winning the Premier League as 5,000-1 outsiders.

In football, miracles do happen. If a struggling team can string together four or five wins, the picture could shift dramatically.

On the pitch, the immediate focus should be on fighting for survival. Off the pitch, however, planning for next season must begin.

The club’s leadership needs to evaluate the squad’s future composition in the likely event of relegation.

Which players will leave, either due to a lack of interest in Championship football or financial constraints?

Additionally, Leicester must assess which loaned-out players or academy talents could step up.

Identifying positional weaknesses, setting recruitment priorities, and scouting potential signings will be crucial.

Proper preparation will allow Leicester to move swiftly in the summer transfer window and maximize their chances of an immediate return to the Premier League.

If Leicester lose to Manchester City and Newcastle next week, while Wolves secure victories over West Ham and Ipswich, the relegation gap could widen to 15 points with only 21 left to play for.

At that stage, survival would be virtually impossible.

If that scenario unfolds, it may be more logical to shift focus on the pitch as well, using the remaining games to experiment with changes and build a team capable of thriving in the Championship next season.