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Leicester City look set to appoint Marti Cifuentes, with it looking clearer why he was regarded as the Foxes’ next option.
Leicester City have identified Marti Cifuentes as their successor for Ruud Van Nistelrooy ahead of the 2025/26 Championship season.
There were several contenders in the running for the Foxes job; Danny Rohl was a candidate, but he will now stay at Sheffield Wednesday in a bizarre turnaround for the German, whilst Gary O’Neil was also poised as an option for Leicester City.
To add to that list, Sean Dyche and Chris Wilder were also considered to take over at Leicester City.
Whilst Cifuentes offers Championship experience and a forward-thinking philosophy, something that the Foxes board will have prioritised with their decision, Leicester City Director of Football Jon Rudkin may have been swayed into his decision by another key factor.
Marti Cifuentes will take a pay cut at Leicester City
With Marti Cifuentes set to arrive at the King Power Stadium, it has been revealed, via Rob Dorsett on X, that the Spaniard is set to take a pay cut to join the club.
Cifuentes owes former club QPR ‘a large proportion of the £500k compensation’ to the London-based side after taking the role at Leicester City.
Before Cifuentes was reported to be the clear frontrunner to become Leicester City’s new Head Coach, several options fell out of the running, something that may have come from Rudkin not matching their financial demands.
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Jon Rudkin may have taken the cheaper option with Marti Cifuentes
The options that were available to Leicester City, aside from Rohl and Cifuentes, had previously managed at Premier League level, so it would be safe to understand that their wage demands may have been higher than the former QPR boss.
Whether it is a sign that Rudkin has opted for the cheaper option to save money, or he has, on a more positive note, cleverly orchestrated a deal for a Championship-proven manager to arrive on the cheap, there is certainly a reason to give the board credit.
As opposed to going for a big name, Leicester have opted for a coach who could easily work wonders in the club’s current situation. His record in steering QPR away from relegation is one to be admired, and hopefully, he can replicate those miracles at the other end of the Championship table.