Ruud van Nistelrooy appointed Leicester City’s new manager three weeks after leaving Manchester United

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed as Leicester City’s new manager less than three weeks after leaving Manchester United.

Van Nistelrooy, who briefly took interim charge of Manchester United earlier this season, has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at the King Power Stadium.

The former footballer replaces Steve Cooper, who was dismissed on Sunday after a 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea left the Foxes with one point from their four league matches.

Van Nistelrooy revealed he phoned former Leicester boss Enzo Maresca before taking the job.

Speaking to LCFC.com, he said: “I have to say, when the interest came, the first one I called was Enzo. He was so positive about it. He absolutely loved his time. When you hear these things, it’s a club you want to be a part of.

“Obviously, with the interest coming, I phoned him and I asked him more detailed questions about the club, the structures, the people that work there, the squad, the stadium, the fans, the town, the surroundings… it was a fantastic conversation. It’s always a pleasure to talk to him.”

He added: “The way Leicester City played under [Enzo] Maresca, winning the Championship and going into the Premier League, I see also that line continuing in those structures and the idea of playing.

“I can plug into that. I relate to those structures and way of playing. Playing out from the back when we can, going forward in the attack and playing forward, and creating chances is, of course, the main goal when the opponent allows you to. Obviously, you have to see how the defensive structures are. I can plug in there and take some new ideas, but a good framework is there, and then it’s about getting better… going to the training pitch and improving altogether and translating it into points.

“Sometimes it will be against an opponent that is better, but you have to find a way to win any game. Sometimes you need to be more defensive and play on the counter-attack. Of course, when you have it, you play, and in other [games], you try to dominate and make the game yourself. We’ll approach every game with one idea – and that’s to win.”

Leicester had considered the former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg boss Niko Kovac and the current West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan as possible candidates but decided on Van Nistelrooy as they look to climb away from the relegation zone.

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