£13m Leicester star in furious Ruud van Nistelrooy row after Man Utd legend blasts football boots ‘making him slip over’
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY has reportedly singled out one of his stars – over his choice of boots.
The Leicester boss has overseen seven straight Premier League defeats at the King Power Stadium.
Van Nistelrooy took over in the East Midlands in late November after the Foxes axed Steve Cooper.
But he has endured a miserable tenure, compounded by a downbeat atmosphere in the dressing room.
According to The Telegraph, a frustrated Van Nistelrooy recently singled out Caleb Okoli over his choice of footwear.
The ex-Man Utd striker insisted Okoli’s boots made him “frequently slip over.”
A stunned Okoli reportedly demanded a meeting with Leicester Director of Football Jon Rudkin after the incident.
He now looks set to leave the club, just months after arriving for £13million from Atalanta.
Van Nistelrooy has also rowed with Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte.
The midfielder came on as a late substitute against Fulham last time out, giving away the ball NINE times in the final stages.
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Buonanotte has started just three of Van Nistelrooy’s nine games in charge despite previously being a key man for predecessor Cooper.
Van Nistelrooy reportedly lost his rag with his players after the game, dishing out the hairdryer treatment.
The Dutchman is also frustrated at the lack of transfer activity from the Foxes board, with just one new recruit this January.
French right-back Woyo Coulibaly – a £3million buy from Parma – is the only new signing so far.
Van Nistelrooy's controversial appointment
By Neil Custis, Football writer
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY walking into the Leicester job must have managers further down the leagues tearing their hair out.
This week at the Northwest Football Awards, for example, Dave Challinor of Stockport was named manager of the year ahead of Pep Guardiola.
Now that may be because organisers felt he would probably turn up to get his gong, unlike Guardiola.
Still, two promotions in 2½ years to lift the area’s poor relation from the National League to League One — where they sit fourth — is incredible.
Yet that and a managerial background at Colwyn Bay, AFC Fylde and Hartlepool would sadly never put him on a Premier League club’s radar.
Van Nistelrooy was on that radar at the Foxes in the summer after one season managing at PSV Eindhoven before they went for Steve Cooper.
Now after a further four games as interim Manchester United boss and he is in at the King Power and Cooper is out.
Big names excite fans and Van Nistelrooy has one, literally.
Leicester have agreed a loan from Australian bank Macquarie to boost their transfer kitty.
Yet the Foxes may still have to sell before they can bring in a midfielder.
Leicester welcome Tottenham to the King Power on Sunday.