Ruud van Nistelrooy's transfer answers stoke Leicester City concern ahead of deadline day
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s adamant focus on his current Leicester City squad suggested there is a dwindling hope of reinforcements before Monday night’s transfer deadline.
The hope provided by the victory over Tottenham was eradicated by a woeful 4-0 loss to relegation rivals Everton on Saturday. And it seems increasingly likely that the squad van Nistelrooy is working with will be the same one that has to secure Premier League survival.
Asked multiple questions on City’s potential for new signings, van Nistelrooy reverted the conversation onto the capabilities of his current squad at every occasion. Right-back Woyo Coulibaly may be the only arrival.
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Asked if he could expect new signings before Monday, van Nistelrooy said: “The focus is on this squad. We are better than we showed today, that is clear. We go back to work next week and to prove that in the next game.”
Then asked, in the event of no new players arriving, whether it would be a case of the club failing to keep to their word over transfers, the Dutchman said: “It’s about getting more out of these players because they’re better than our performance today. If you see last week, what they’re capable of, and also in performances before that against Champions League opposition, then it’s getting the best out of those players again and focusing on these players.
“It’s about improving them and their consistency, it’s not one game but game after game, to get out of this situation. That is the focus and other than that, I don’t have a focus.”
When it was then pointed out that he does not sound hopeful of new recruits, he said: “The focus is on this squad. That’s what I believe in and that’s what we’re working on. Any other situation is a bonus. As long as that’s not happening, we’re focusing on these players.”
A contender for the worst performance of the season, City conceded three goals before half-time, including one in 10 seconds and another inside six minutes. Those first three goals were alarmingly simple for Everton, with one hoofed ball and two long passes bypassing City’s defence.
“It’s clear that those are not our best moments as a team,” van Nistelrooy said on the goals. “It’s not the back-line only, it’s not the midfielders only, it’s not the nine and 10 only.
“It’s a collective error where there is not enough pressure on the ball, where the middle is open, where the back-line is not in line. That’s what cost us today. We are better than that. Today wasn’t good enough, that was clear."
