Latest news with #JonRudkin
New York Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Welcome to Leicester City, Marti Cifuentes – now here's what needs sorting
Welcome to the party, Marti Cifuentes. Leicester City's summer of drift has taken a step towards stability with the appointment of the Spaniard as manager. Cifuentes, 43, was Queens Park Rangers head coach since October 2023 and has his work cut out to lift the gloom. Relegated Leicester took an age to relieve Ruud van Nistelrooy of his duties amid a backdrop of potential sanctions for an alleged breach of profitability and sustainability rules. Oh, the Championship season starts in less than a month. Here, The Athletic breaks down the biggest challenges facing Cifuentes. There are 27 senior professionals on the books, plus a talented crop of academy graduates. The first task is to move on players with any market value or who are deemed surplus to requirements. Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and playmaker Bilal El Khannouss will attract interest and bring in decent sums, but Leicester will be desperate to shift the high earners and underperformers, such as Wout Faes, Conor Coady and Boubakary Soumare. Advertisement But director of football Jon Rudkin does not have a good selling record of late, with Youri Tielemans, Caglar Soyuncu, Ayoze Perez and Kelechi Iheanacho leaving for free at the end of their contracts. Having previously sold one big asset each summer in the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Harry Maguire and reinvesting wisely, Leicester's transfer policy in the past few years has been below par. Kasper Schmeichel, Harvey Barnes and James Maddison brought in lower-than-anticipated fees while 2023-24 player of the season, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, moved to Chelsea for £30million ($40.2m at the current exchange rate) last July. Leicester may still get mileage out of long-serving trio James Justin, Ricardo Pereira and Wilfred Ndidi while it looks like they will be stuck with last summer's thirty-something signings Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid for another year. Leicester have a wealth of academy promise, with their Seagrave training facility paying dividends almost five years after opening. Should Hermansen depart, Jakub Stolarczyk, 24, appears a more than able successor, while 21-year-old centre-back Ben Nelson is well thought of and impressed during 16 starts on loan at Oxford United in the Championship last season. Many Leicester fans hope he forms a partnership with Caleb Okoli. There is a potentially dazzling array of talent going forward. Will Alves, 20, spent the second half of last season on loan at eventually-relegated Cardiff City after making his top-flight debut and representing England in three youth age groups. Jeremy Monga became the second-youngest player in Premier League history when he made his debut at 15 years and 271 days old against Newcastle United in April. Both are touted for big seasons. Louis Page, 17, scored twice in the 3-1 win against League One Peterborough United that began Leicester's pre-season on July 5 while winger Jake Evans, 16, made his first-team debut last season. Add in 18-year-old Olabade Aluko, Silko Thomas, 21, and Michael Golding, a 19-year-old signed from Chelsea last July, and Leicester have a nucleus of talent they believe Cifuentes — who has a track record in developing players — can nurture. Advertisement Abdul Fatawu, a standout in the 2023-24 Championship title-winning campaign alongside Stephy Mavididi on the opposite flank, missed the majority of his first Premier League campaign due to a November anterior cruciate ligament knee injury but will hope to pick up where he left off. Leicester are also preparing for life after the departure of their greatest player. Jamie Vardy spent 13 seasons at the club, scoring 200 goals in 500 games, helping them win the Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield and two Championship titles. He won the Premier League's Golden Boot in the 2019-20 season and played 26 times for England. He managed three league goals in 37 appearances in 2022-23, when Leicester went down despite having the seventh-highest wage bill in the country, but struck 18 times in 35 games as they bounced straight back up. Vardy, 38, managed a respectable nine goals and four assists in his 35 league matches last season. With those two relegations from the Premier League in the past three seasons, it could be argued that his departure was overdue but City never managed to complement or replace their No 9. Patson Daka was heralded as his successor. There were lofty expectations for the Zambia international after his arrival in summer 2021 after scoring 68 times in 125 games for Red Bull Salzburg, but despite scoring all four goals in a 4-3 defeat of Spartak Moscow in the following season's Europa League, he has only netted 23 times. Vardy's dependability meant the 26-year-old never had a run of games (only 61 of his 121 appearances have been starts), but it is now or never for Daka. One of the biggest criticisms of Leicester's board is the lack of consistency in their managerial appointments. Brendan Rodgers delivered two fifth-placed finishes (although they were in the Champions League places as the final day of the season began in 2020 and 2021), the FA Cup and Community Shield, but his sacking with 10 games to go in 2022-23 came too late. Advertisement Dean Smith was his successor after a fateful two-match spell with Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler in interim charge (Leicester lost both, and finished two points short of safety) but could not save them from the drop. The ownership looked to have struck gold that summer when they appointed Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester back to promotion, although there was still criticism from a section of the fanbase about the Italian's slow, possession-based system. There was sympathy for those in charge when Maresca left for Chelsea, taking Dewsbury-Hall with him — the pair have gone on to win the Conference League and Club World Cup. But the appointment of Steve Cooper, recently manager of local rivals Nottingham Forest, was not well received. Leicester were outside the relegation zone when Cooper was sacked in November after 12 Premier League games. Squad members were then pictured with a sign saying 'Enzo I miss u' during their pre-Christmas outing in Copenhagen. Van Nistelrooy was Cooper's replacement, having beaten Leicester twice in his four games as Manchester United's caretaker manager, but the appointment failed. City set a top-flight record as they failed to score in nine consecutive home games and were relegated with five matches to play. Cifuentes will be expected to implement a similar possession-based system to Maresca. That task will be different from the one he faced at QPR as Leicester will be expected to force the issue. The success of Maresca's side was built on a solid base — they conceded 41 times in 46 games, keeping 15 clean sheets. Leicester found the step up in divisions impossible as they shipped 80 in 38 league matches. Who plays in goal may be a decision taken out of Cifuentes' hands if Hermansen is sold but Justin, Coady, Faes and Victor Kristiansen all struggled in the back four last season, and all may well be moved on too. Luke Thomas did well at left-back despite the team's poor form and could be first choice. Advertisement Australia international centre-back Harry Souttar has returned from a loan at Sheffield United, while centre-back Jannik Vestergaard and Harry Winks, who impressed at the base of Maresca's midfield, were frozen out by Van Nistelrooy. They must be moved on or reintegrated. With a potential points deduction coming for breaching financial rules, a fast start is a must for Cifuentes. (Top photos: Getty Images)
New York Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Leicester City Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key positions and likely exits
Leicester City's hierarchy don't say a lot publicly, but sometimes silence speaks a thousand words. That is certainly the case with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy and his position at the club after relegation. The Dutchman has presented to owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and director of football Jon Rudkin what he thinks needs to be done to get Leicester back into the Premier League next season. Advertisement The chairman, known as Khun Top, has stated Leicester's hierarchy have begun planning has for the next campaign. The problem is, they haven't told Van Nistelrooy what that plan is. It is fair to conclude Leicester's strategy may not include Van Nistelrooy, but what the plan actually is remains to be seen. There is a lot of work to be done this summer to get Leicester back on an even keel and in some sort of shape to mount a promotion challenge. So what can we expect from Leicester this summer? Usually, it is the manager who has the final say on recruitment so, until the identity of who will be leading Leicester into the Championship is known, very little will be done on incomings. There is also a prospect of a business plan being imposed on the club by the EFL, restricting their budget and forcing them to sell assets. As things stand Van Nistelrooy is still the manager, but after the final game of the season at Bournemouth he admitted he still hadn't had a planning meeting with the club's senior management with a view to next season. Leicester could be waiting until the end of the financial year, at the end of June, to make a change so the cost of another managerial change is in the next financial year for profit and sustainability rule (PSR) purposes, but the longer the uncertainty continues, the more time is wasted. All of them. Three first-team players left at the end of their contracts — Jamie Vardy, Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen — and there will inevitably have to be sales after relegation as Leicester look to readapt to life in the Championship. Some assets will have to be sold, such as goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, and Leicester will also try to move on some of their higher earners as they try to conform to the financial restrictions and realities. Advertisement As things stand, Leicester look OK in the full-back positions and the promotion of Ben Nelson after his loan at Oxford United will give them another option at centre-back. Likewise, before sales, they look OK in defensive midfield too. Abdul Fatawu returning from injury will boost the wide options, and they have plenty of them, but goalkeeper and central striker positions are a problem. There is so much uncertainty — not just about who the manager will be, but also what restrictions they may face in the EFL, which could restrict their ability to recruit. Replacing Vardy. Even at the age of 38 he was the team's player of the season last year, as well as top scorer. He was also a hugely influential figure in the dressing room, a talisman for the other players and role model for the young professionals. His departure leaves Leicester with just one striker, Patson Daka, who may be sold this summer if they can find a buyer, so they have to try to find a solution. Likewise, the departures of Ward and Iversen leave them short of goalkeeping cover, especially as No 1 Hermansen is expected to be sold. Jakub Stolarczyk has shown he is ready to step up, but he needs cover. Not at the moment, while there is so much uncertainty surrounding the manager's position and what the budget will be. Leicester don't want to make moves for players, bring them in, and then find that the next manager — if they do sack Van Nistelrooy — doesn't want them. They made that mistake last summer when they handed Steve Cooper an £80million transfer kitty and sacked him after 12 games. Van Nistelrooy came in and only one new recruit made a consistent impact on the first team under him: Bilal El Khannouss. The inconsistency in the philosophy of the five managers that Leicester have appointed across the last three seasons has led to a scattergun transfer policy. If Van Nistelrooy stays, then Harry Winks and Jannik Vestergaard, two of the squad's higher earners, may have to move on. Neither featured in matchday squads towards the end of the season after falling out of favour. Wout Faes and Victor Kristiansen may also need to move on, and will probably want to move too. Advertisement The last time Leicester were in the Championship they tried to sell Boubakary Soumare, but had to settle for a season-long loan to Sevilla. He will likely move back to the continent, while time may also be up for Daka, who has failed to deliver consistently. There will be nine players out of contract at the end of next season: Soumare, James Justin, Winks, Daka, Luke Thomas, Ricardo Pereira, Jordan Ayew, Conor Coady and Stolarczyk. If Leicester want to cash in on them this may be the last opportunity to do so. Then there are the players they would like to keep but may have to sell for financial reasons, such as Hermansen and El Khannouss, who have both shown they can perform at Premier League level. If permanent deals for contracted players can't be done because there are clubs unwilling to pay the asking price or the player's wage demands, then loans may be the only option to reduce the wage bill. That was the case two years ago when Soumare went to Sevilla. Previous attempts to move on Vestergaard also failed. Three out-of-contract players have already left, while eight of the development squad have been released, but until the matter of who will be the manager next season is settled and the club knows its position in terms of budget and profit and sustainability rule sanctions then there is so much uncertainty. The only positive about relegation with five games still to go was that the club could have started their planning for the next season early to steal a march on many of their rivals, but they haven't taken that opportunity. Leicester certainly won't have a £107m budget this time in the Championship. The fact they had a budget that was £30m more than their rivals upset a lot of people two years ago, including in the EFL, who forecasted they would be in breach of PSR and tried to impose a business plan on the club. Leicester were able to fight off that challenge, arguing that such a sanction was premature as they were still in the process of readjusting to the Championship after having had the eighth-biggest budget in the Premier League when they were relegated. That argument will be difficult to make this time and they are also facing three charges from the Premier League for breaching PSR for their last season in the Championship in 2023-24. The timescale of the confidential process of those charges is not known, but it may not be until November that Leicester discover the outcome, and then there will be the appeal process. They could be facing a hefty points deduction but they could also be facing a business plan this time. Life in the Championship will be significantly more difficult and complicated this time around. (Top photos: Mads Hermansen, left, and Jamie Vardy; Getty Images)
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
A season to forget for Leicester as they look for a new era
The season will hardly be remembered fondly. Relegation, a record-equalling run of defeats, division between the fans and the club, a change of manager, the departure of a legend and a season-ending profit and sustainability charge. Ruud Van Nistelrooy replaced Steve Cooper in November and the change did not work. The Dutchman has carried himself extremely well - as you would expect for someone of his experience in the game - but failed to get results. He lost 19 of his 27 games, winning five - with two of those coming in the last four matches when the Foxes had already been him Leicester became the first Premier League team to lose eight games in a row without scoring during a run of defeats between February and April, which also equalled the club's record losing streak. It leaves Van Nistelrooy in a fragile position, with the expectation he will leave while Russell Martin is a leading contender to replace him. Fans called for the departure of director of football Jon Rudkin, who they view as key in their decline following two relegations in three years yet there seems to be no appetite to change at the top. Leicester are entering a new era - one post Jamie Vardy - with the striker leaving at the end of his contract next month. He is the last of the 2016 title winners left and the Foxes must find a new direction in the Championship next season, even as they look to avoid a points deduction.
Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Jamie Vardy's farewell party a convenient distraction from Leicester's rudderless decline
Jamie Vardy will wave farewell to Leicester City this weekend and his departure serves as a brutal reminder of how far the club have fallen. Vardy has rescued Leicester on so many occasions and will be at it again on Sunday, saving the club from a potentially toxic atmosphere over a season he has branded a 's---show'. The final game for Leicester 's greatest-ever player, against another relegated club in Ipswich Town, promises to be an emotional and poignant afternoon. He has been present to help deliver a multitude of memories, including a Premier League title, FA Cup, magical European nights and 199 goals. If there is to be a glorious end to this fairy tale, Vardy, 38, will score his 200th goal at King Power Stadium in his 500th, and final, match for the club. There is little doubt that his goodbye comes at a very convenient time for owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and Jon Rudkin, the club's director of football. On Sunday the full focus will be on the club's 'GOAT' (Greatest Of All Time) – as it should be – and all the problems from a nightmarish campaign will be briefly pushed aside. Vardy's goals... #1️⃣ #5️⃣0️⃣ #1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ #1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ #1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣ The 🐐 — Leicester City (@LCFC) May 14, 2025 Yet as Leicester prepare for a future in the Championship without their £1 million legend, so many questions remain unanswered. Nearly four weeks after the club's relegation was confirmed, there has been no public statement on how they intend to bounce back. Ruud van Nistelrooy, the head coach, is still waiting for clarity on what his future holds. He was unable to prevent relegation and, despite encouraging signs in recent weeks, the expectation is still that he will leave. For a club whose communication from the boardroom to managers has often been poor, this is no way to treat a Premier League legend. Regardless of his record. Van Nistelrooy is in complete limbo. He presented his vision for the club's future early last month, before relegation was even confirmed. In those talks, he outlined how he envisaged reshaping the squad with a list of potential signings. He also highlighted the strength of the club's academy, and how talented teenagers such as Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans will be key players in the future. Since that day, there has been silence. Van Nistelrooy has no idea whether he will remain in charge for next season. With so much uncertainty, the club are drifting. Worryingly for Van Nistelrooy, players available on free transfers are already slipping through his fingers. He said on Friday: 'There is no news on this [my future] to bring and when there is, I will let you know. I said five or six weeks ago that it needed to be the sooner the better. 'It's visible in performance and points, and goals scored and conceded, that we have improved. We can't take away the disappointment of relegation but I'm happy with how the players have been performing. We want to finish the season as well as we can.' This weekend, many players and staff members from the memorable Premier League title-winning season of 2015-16 will be present. Danny Drinkwater, Shinji Okazaki and Matty James are confirmed attendees, while Nigel Pearson – the manager who signed Vardy from Fleetwood in May 2012 – is also expected to be there. Many of them will be pained by what has unfolded over the past few years: two relegations in three seasons, declining standards and a poor culture in place of one that was once a huge source of pride. Fans are demanding change but not expecting it. The threat of apathy replacing anger should be a serious concern for Leicester's board. Externally, there will be tired accusations of entitlement and that Leicester's relegation is the cycle of football. Those accusations completely miss the point. Leicester had a shot at glory and then squandered it. Ahead of this weekend, fans' group Union FS issued a statement claiming that plans for a Tifo dedicated to Vardy had been blocked by the club. Leicester are rumoured to be honouring Vardy by using an external agency. 'Tifo by fans, not hired hands' was the title of the Union FS statement. Ipswich (H) — Union FS (@UFS2013) May 13, 2025 What is next for Vardy? He will fly out for a family holiday early next week and has been excused from Leicester's final game at Bournemouth. The difference between finishing 18th and 19th is worth almost £3 million, with Ipswich facing West Ham at home on the last day. Leicester will go above Ipswich this weekend with a win. Yet Van Nistelrooy will go into the Bournemouth match without his leading scorer, as Leicester and Ipswich fight for the dubious honour of finishing third from bottom. Vardy was always going to bid farewell on his own terms. But his absence next weekend still feels rather odd. Next season he will be watching from afar, perhaps in the Premier League, and the big question is what happens next for the club he taught to dream.
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'This model is not working - it is broken and needs to change'
The Athletic's Leicester City correspondent Rob Tanner says there has been "collective" failing in the Foxes' hierarchy and suggests hiring a new director of football to allow Jon Rudkin to change has been in his role since 2014 - and has overseen the most successful period in the club's history - but has been the subject of fan chants calling for his removal throughout this season."Criticism should be there - there has to be accountability," Tanner told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast. "He [Jon Rudkin] has been picked out as the one figure that will be accountable for all the mess at Leicester but I think it is a collective. "There is more than one person involved. We had the Brendan [Rodgers] era where the contracts got out of hand and some of the transfer spending increased without selling assets. We had success for a number of years but it wasn't sustainable success. Leicester's relegation was confirmed on Sunday with five games still to play after a miserable period involving a club-record run of home defeats without believes the executives at King Power Stadium need to take responsibility."It's the decision-making at the club as a whole and a lot of that rests on Top [chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha] but certainly Jon needs some accountability," Tanner said. "Director of football? Just focus on the football, nothing else. Let the people from other departments focus on those because from what I gather Jon can be involved in a lot of things inside and outside the football club.""There needs to be clear focus. If he is going to take this more general overview then perhaps he should move to an advisory role with Top and then have someone who is totally and utterly focused on the football aspect to put in place a strategy."We need to to have a strategy on who to recruit that goes beyond the manager because the manager is changed so often. "This model is not working. It is broken and it needs to change."Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
