Leicester have confirmed the appointment of Martí Cifuentes to fill the vacancy left by Ruud van Nistelrooy after relegation from the Premier League last season.
The Spaniard left QPR last month having been placed on gardening leave in April at the tail end of a Championship campaign that resulted in a 15th-placed finish in the 24-club division. Rangers finished seven points above the relegation places and the 43-year-old Cifuentes left by mutual consent last month.
The Foxes, who also spoke to the former Bournemouth and Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil and the former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, said in a statement that they opted for Cifuentes because of his “modern, progressive footballing philosophy”.
The club’s hierarchy are understood to see in Cifuentes shades of their former manager Enzo Maresca, who oversaw promotion to the Premier League before leaving for Chelsea.
Leicester finished third-bottom in England’s top tier last season with 25 points from 38 matches, and a goal different of -47, the second worst in the Premier League.
Cifuentes, who has a three-year contract, told the club’s website: “It’s a great honour to be appointed Leicester City manager. This is a fantastic club with a proud history and it’s a privilege to me to be asked to help write the next chapter.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the players, as well as connecting with our supporters and the city in the weeks and months ahead. I can see the passion that exists here, and I’m excited to begin this journey together.”
Leicester’s chair, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, said: “His energy, ambition and clarity of ideas stood out throughout the recruitment process. We felt strongly that bringing him to the club would help us to create the success we all want in the years ahead.
“Martí is an excellent fit – his personal and coaching qualities will be vital to building an identity our fans will be able to see reflected in their team on the pitch.”
About The Author
