“BLOCKBUSTER TRANSFER SHOCK: Star Signing Poised for DOMINANT Role Next Season After Conquering Heartbreaking Five-Month Ordeal!”
£20m Leicester City Signing Aims to Finish Strong as Van Nistelrooy Praises His High Standards
Oliver Skipp has impressed manager Ruud van Nistelrooy by meeting the high standards expected at Leicester City, and he now has the opportunity to end the season with his longest run of consecutive starts.
The £20 million summer signing has returned to the starting lineup for the past two matches, replacing Boubakary Soumare, after a long spell out of the first XI since December.
If selected again, it would mark the first time this season that Skipp has started more than three league games in a row.
Van Nistelrooy praised Skipp for his dedication and professionalism during his extended absence from the team, acknowledging the midfielder’s frustration but commending how he continued to give his all behind the scenes.
“Oliver is a player who meets the standards I set,” Van Nistelrooy said last week. “Even though he was disappointed not to play, he trained at 100 per cent every day.
He prepared thoroughly for every session and game, and he looked after himself impeccably. That showed when he got his chance.
“He performed really well against Southampton, and that’s down to his preparation and professionalism. He earned that opportunity through his attitude and commitment.”
Skipp’s season hasn’t gone quite as planned after making a high-profile switch from Tottenham, where he became one of Leicester’s joint-most expensive signings last summer. So far, he has made just nine Premier League starts.
In March, he was even left out of the matchday squad entirely, but returned when Harry Winks was unexpectedly dropped.
Despite a mixed display at Nottingham Forest, where he was subbed off after an hour, Skipp is expected to have a much bigger role next season.
With Leicester’s potential relegation to the Championship looming, the 23-year-old could be central to the club’s plans.
Uncertainty surrounds the future of Leicester’s other midfielders. Winks and Soumare are entering the final years of their contracts, while Wilfred Ndidi may be sold to help balance the books.
In that context, Skipp could emerge as a key figure for Van Nistelrooy’s midfield going forward.
