Leicester City has ultimately ended its partnership with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy (49). Ahead of its return to the Championship (second division), he has stepped down.

Leicester City announced on the 27th (Korea time) through its official channel, "The club and Ruud van Nistelrooy have agreed to mutually terminate the contract. This will take effect immediately."

Van Nistelrooy, a former star striker for Manchester United, took over at Leicester in November 2024 as the successor to Dean Smith. However, in the face of the team's severe struggles, he ultimately left the team after just over six months.

Leicester recorded 25 points (6 wins, 7 draws, 25 losses) in the 2024-2025 Premier League season, remaining in 18th place, and had to accept the devastating outcome of direct relegation. They appointed van Nistelrooy, hoping for a mid-season turnaround, but failed to improve results.

The club recognized his contributions in a statement, saying, "Manager van Nistelrooy took charge of the team during a difficult time and showed a professional attitude and a clear sense of purpose. Integrating promising players from the club's academy into the first team was also one of his achievements."

Van Nistelrooy also left a farewell message. He said, "I thank the players, coaching staff, academy, and all the staff at Leicester. I sincerely appreciate the support from the fans. I wish Leicester City all the best in the future."

Leicester plans to conduct the preseason training starting June 30 with the current first-team coaching staff and will continue the process of selecting the next manager. The club stated, "We will not issue any separate official position until a new manager is decided."

With this departure, van Nistelrooy leaves with regrets in his first attempt as a manager in England. He previously stepped down after a successful year at PSV Eindhoven and had dreamt of Premier League survival while managing Leicester, but ultimately could not avoid the responsibility for relegation.

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