Ruud van Nistelrooy explains why Leicester City transfer was 'impossible' as late bid rejected
Selling Kasey McAteer was “impossible” for Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy with the winger a “very important part” of the club’s survival bid.
City rejected an approach from Championship promotion-chasers Sunderland for McAteer on deadline day, the Black Cats putting together a loan offer with an obligation to buy for a fee under £8m. City rebuffed the bid and no further progress was made.
For van Nistelrooy, it was never going to happen, especially not without any players arriving. The Dutchman has been keen on a new winger since he first arrived at the club, in order to replace the injured Abdul Fatawu, so was not going to further weaken his options by letting McAteer go.
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The manager said last week: “One thing for me that was very clear was that nobody was going out until there’s anybody in. I’m sure we can all understand it. I’m looking to bring players in to strengthen the squad, not for players to leave. That was, for me, unthinkable.
“With Hamza (Choudhury) on loan, in his position what we have is enough, so it’s good for him to make minutes. Will Alves is a young lad who needs minutes, needs to play, will be a better player when he comes back in the summer.
“Those are different things. Kasey McAteer is a very important part of our squad on the wings and will have an impact in this season, so it was impossible that he goes.”
The academy graduate started the first three games of van Nistelrooy’s reign but then picked up an injury and has not been in the 11 since, albeit he’s come off the bench in four of the past six matches. Right now, McAteer and Stephy Mavididi are having to bide their time while Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid start.
“Kasey did great in the first games against West Ham and Brighton and we were able to collect four big points,” van Nistelrooy said. “It was unfortunate he got injured because he was in the best form of his life. That’s what I spoke to him about as well.
“With an injury, it needs some time for players to come back to their levels. It’s also with minutes from the bench. He’s training hard, he’s a great professional, he’s competing with the wingers that we are using at the moment, with Stephy Mavididi, with Bobby De Cordova-Reid, and with Jordan Ayew that we see as wingers. We need four because a lot can happen over the coming months.”
