GOOD NEWS Background: Leicester’s Search for a New Manager

 

Leicester City parted ways with **Ruud van Nistelrooy** on **June 27, 2025**, following a disappointing season that ended with relegation from the Premier League after just six wins and a finish in 18th place  Van Nistelrooy’s exit followed a turbulent period, and the Foxes have since been seeking stability by finding a replacement capable of guiding them back to the top flight.

 

The club’s recent managerial search has looked at several names, including **Gary O’Neil**, **Chris Wilder**, **Sean Dyche**, and **Danny Rohl**. However, **Martí Cifuentes**, the Spaniard most recently at Queens Park Rangers, has emerged as the leading candidate

## 2. Who Is Martí Cifuentes?

 

**Martí Cifuentes Corvillo** (born July 7, 1982) hails from Sant Cugat del Vallès, Catalonia, and is a coach known for his analytical approach and youth development focus . His managerial journey includes:

 

* Rubí, Sant Andreu, Hospitalet in Spain

* Sandefjord in Norway (2018–2020)

* Aalborg in Denmark (2021–2022)

* Hammarby in Sweden (2022–2023)

 

At QPR, he helped guide the team to safety in the Championship and maintained a respectable mid-table position in his second campaign despite limited resource

## 3. Current State: Why Cifuentes?

 

### ✅ Proven Championship Experience

 

Cifuentes is one of the few candidates with direct Championship experience, having coached QPR through relegation battles with resource constraints similar to what Leicester now faces

### 💷 Financially Pragmatic Hire

 

Reports suggest he will take a **pay cut** to join Leicester, and has offered to personally contribute toward the estimated **£400–500K** compensation to QPR, a gesture that underlines his enthusiasm and Leicester’s cost constraints

### 🎯 Tactical and Development Philosophy

 

Cifuentes is known for a detail-driven tactical approach and emphasis on developing youth talent—factors Leicester desperately needs amid off‑field turmoil and limited spending power

### 🤝 Internal Fit

 

Sources suggest he is likely to bring along his QPR assistant **Xavier Calm** to Leicester, offering continuity in coaching philosophy. He has connections to Leicester’s coaching legend **Andy King**, who may be retained to support integration ..

## 4. Progress to Date & Key Developments

 

1. **Verbal agreement reached**: Reports claim Leicester have agreed verbally with Cifuentes, with an appointment expected imminently—possibly within days or by the weekend of July 12–13, 2025 .

2. **Compensation negotiations**: Leicester are expected to pay or negotiate payment of around **£500K** to QPR for Cifuentes’ release from gardening leave

3. **Board approval**: Leicester director of football **Jon Rudkin** has reportedly backed Cifuentes over other candidates, likely favoring his proven track record in the Championship and affordable profile

 

Despite not having formally approached QPR at one point, sources maintain that conversations are now in the final stages

## 5. Pros of Hiring Cifuentes

### Strategic and Long‑Term Potential

* He brings a methodical, modern playing philosophy with emphasis on possession and youth.

* His career path (Sandefjord → Aalborg → Hammarby → QPR) shows a consistent trajectory of overperformance with constrained budgets

 

### Financially Sensible

 

* Leicester benefit from a low-risk financial profile, critical given possible EFL sanctions and their recent relegation.

* Cifuentes offering to waive part of his compensation underscores his desire to build at the club and Leicester’s financial pressure

 

### Fan and Squad Renewal

 

* He has strong relationships with fans at QPR and has earned admiration for steadying the ship under pressure.

* At Leicester, he could restore trust if he embraces youth like **Louis Page**, **Jeremy Monga**, **Will Alves**, and others coming through the academy

## 6. Risks and Concerns

### Experience at Higher Levels

 

Cifuentes has never managed a Premier League team; his top‑flight exposure remains limited to Sweden and Norway—raising questions about his readiness for a promotion push and intensity required.

 

### Transfer Market Record

 

Critics at QPR point out that several signings had little impact, and spending decisions were questioned. If Leicester invest heavily, Cifuentes must avoid repeating mistakes seen at QPR .

 

### Cultural Fit and Club Context

 

Leicester fans are deeply critical of hierarchy and recruitment failures. For success, he must actively rebuild rapport with supporters and work alongside key internal figures like **Andy King** and **Jon Rudkin** to foster unity

## 7. What Comes Next?

* **Formal announcement**: Expected within days — possibly before July 13, 2025.

* **Squad review**: He will quickly need to determine who stays, who leaves (e.g. Conor Coady), and which youth players slot into pre-season plans.

* **Pre-season schedule**: Already underway. Leicester beat Peterborough 3–1 under interim coach Andy King, and have fixtures lined up against **Oud-Heverlee Leuven** and **Fiorentina**

* **Championship opener**: August 10 vs **Sheffield Wednesday**, the same team that produced one of Cifuentes’ suitors — Danny Rohl’s side

## 8. Summary: What This Appointment Means

 

Leicester’s choice of Marti Cifuentes signals a shift toward **smart, sustainable rebuilding**:

 

* A manager used to limited budgets who can work under pressure.

* Someone who values **youth development** and **analytical preparation**.

* A financially conservative appointment that aligns with their off-field constraints and uncertainty over potential EFL sanctions

 

However, success hinges on his ability to:

 

* Quickly earn fan trust after accusations of poor recruitment and unstable leadership.

* Deliver results under promotion pressure with limited resources.

* Use the academy as a backbone while balancing squad experience.

 

### 🚨 Final Word

Leicester City look poised to make Marti Cifuentes their next manager. With a verbal agreement reportedly in place and compensation negotiations nearing completion, the appointment looks imminent. At 43, Cifuentes represents a calculated gamble: a coach with Championship experience, detailed tactical insight, and a proven ability to steady troubled clubs sports analysts describe as all the more needed in Leicester’s current climate. Whether he can steer them back to the Premier League and reforge the connection with fans remains to be seen—but in the short term, he offers a coherent path forward in a period defined by financial restraint and footballing ..