Report: Why Ruud van Nistelrooy Fell Out with Leicester City Star, Departure Likely

Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed Leicester City manager in late November following the dismissal of Steve Cooper.

The Dutchman’s tenure began promisingly, as he led the Foxes to a 3-1 victory over West Ham United in his debut match.

This result hinted at a potential turnaround, raising hopes of a genuine survival push for Leicester.

A subsequent 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion, a team vying for European qualification, was another positive outcome.

However, Leicester’s fortunes have since taken a dramatic downturn.

The club has now lost seven consecutive Premier League matches, leading to growing dissatisfaction among fans, particularly after their recent defeat to Fulham.

Questions surrounding Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester are already being raised, and reports suggest tensions within the club.

According to The Telegraph, issues between the manager and certain players have also surfaced, including an incident involving defender Caleb Okoli.

The report claims Van Nistelrooy criticized Okoli over his choice of football boots, blaming them for a slip during a match.

This confrontation allegedly led Okoli to request a meeting with Leicester’s director of football, Jon Rudkin.

The fallout from this incident has put Okoli’s future at the club in serious doubt.

The 23-year-old, who was a regular starter under Cooper, has played less than 90 minutes of Premier League football since Van Nistelrooy’s arrival.

The Telegraph suggests that Okoli is now almost certain to leave Leicester.

Interest in the defender is growing, particularly from Serie A clubs. Okoli, who only moved to England in the summer, is reportedly a priority target for Parma.

However, Parma is not the only team monitoring his situation.

Okoli’s agent recently confirmed that Cagliari has also expressed interest in signing the player.

He stated, “Yes, at the moment there has been contact from them. Let’s see what can happen by the end of the transfer window.”

With mounting speculation surrounding both Okoli’s and Van Nistelrooy’s futures, Leicester faces a period of uncertainty as they continue their fight for Premier League survival.