Leicester City’s interim manager has expressed uncertainty regarding the speculation surrounding the potential appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy as the new head coach for the team.
Reports in the UK media suggest that Van Nistelrooy, who had a short stint in charge of Manchester United following Erik ten Hag’s exit, is being considered as a successor to Steve Cooper at Leicester.

Cooper was dismissed from his position on Sunday, shortly after the team suffered a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea, leaving the club in a precarious 16th place in the Premier League standings.

First-team coach Ben Dawson is set to take over for the upcoming match against Brentford this Saturday, and when he was questioned about Van Nistelrooy’s potential appointment, he remarked, “Nothing at the moment.” He further shared his bewilderment, saying he was hoping reporters could provide insights into the situation. “We likely know as much as you do and we’re just continuing and focusing on the game tomorrow,” he added.

Dawson acknowledged that Cooper’s departure came as a surprise, noting that the players also felt the shock earlier in the week. He mentioned that the club had addressed the consequences of a recent Christmas celebration that took place in Copenhagen, which had raised some concerns as images from the event circulated online.

In a video from the party, a sign reading “Enzo I miss you” was seen being showcased at the venue, a reference to Cooper’s predecessor, Enzo Maresca, who left to join Chelsea in the offseason. The timing of Cooper’s dismissal, occurring just a day after the festive gathering, raised eyebrows.

The Daily Telegraph has reported that Leicester’s Thai owner, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, met with the players after expressing his dissatisfaction with the footage from the event.

Dawson defended the players, saying, “First and foremost, the lads had a couple of days off and it’s their decision what they do with their time off.” He added that the club had managed the situation efficiently earlier in the week, and that the team had since returned their focus to training and the upcoming match.