Ruud van Nistelrooy hints at two positions Leicester City will target amid Man United admission
Ruud van Nistelrooy will exploit his network of contacts to aid Leicester City’s transfer business as he looks to find replacements for the club’s injured stars.
Van Nistelrooy represented clubs in England, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany during a decorated playing career, while he has since worked as a coach at PSV, Manchester United and with the Dutch national team. The connections he has made will now come in handy.
While van Nistelrooy previously praised the work done by the head of recruitment Martyn Glover and the club’s scouting team to line up potential targets, he has said he will use his own contacts too. That could see him return to former club United, especially as sales are on the agenda at Old Trafford, with City having recently been linked with centre-back Victor Lindelof.
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As for where he wants to strengthen, van Nistelrooy said he has a clear idea. While he does not want to give the game away, he did suggest replacing injured players was important.
He has previously described Abdul Fatawu, out for the season with an ACL tear, as a “massive loss” and so that points towards a new winger arriving this month. Right-back Ricardo Pereira is expected to be out until at least March too, furthering the cause for a new full-back.
Van Nistelrooy said: “The December month gave a clear view for me in which positions the team needs help and improvement. You can also look at injuries, what we have and how long they are out for.
“That’s a part of where we want to strengthen. But it’s important to keep that behind closed doors because we don’t want to weaken ourselves to do business.
“It’s good that you will look at our squad and where the injuries are at the moment and make your conclusions. Internally we have made decisions on where we want to do it.
“Of course, I am looking at my network, having played in a couple of countries and more clubs. It’s important to use my network in opportunities to strengthen the squad. We’re looking at all possibilities to help the team reach its target. We’re looking everywhere.”
The business City do could be crucial in their ability to survive. In 2015, the loan signing of Robert Huth transformed the team, helping them to retain their Premier League status. In 2023, Harry Souttar, Victor Kristiansen and Tete did not have a significant enough impact to save the club from the drop.
Van Nistelrooy added: “It’s important. If we think there are opportunities in the market that can strengthen our squad, then it's a massive thing to do if we get players who can help this team survive in the Premier League. It has to be right. Let’s see what opportunities will come by.”
