Marti Cifuentes is the new Leicester boss – is he the man for the moment or the man for the future?

There’s no denying that last season was a watershed moment for Leicester City and its supporters. After much fanfare, a disappointing return to the Premier League ended with relegation and little to celebrate.

The Foxes have had five managers since 2023. Two relegations and one promotion reveal everything you need to know about a club that will not yo-yo between the country’s top two divisions.

So where are Leicester City now?

Ruud Van Nistelrooy is a decent man, and he was eloquent in front of the media, but being in charge did not work. When Ruud first arrived in Leicester, many were sceptical, believing that Steve Cooper should have been given more time.

After all, he achieved better results. However, Cooper’s tenure may have been more complicated than the results indicate, and it has been reported that things were not going well behind the scenes at the King Power Stadium.

The threat of a points deduction remains for Leicester, and they are now in the Championship despite missing key players Jamie Vardy and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who were instrumental in their promotion the previous season.

That promotion, of course, was orchestrated by Enzo Maresca, who left for Chelsea shortly thereafter. With all of this in mind, Leicester have turned to former Queens Park Rangers manager Marti Cifuentes. The Spaniard left Loftus Road in June, and he and Leicester will repay some of the compensation he received.

The appointment may not have piqued the interest of fans, but Leicester City believes Cifuentes is the best candidate for the job given their current squad and situation.

At their most cynical, Foxes fans will point to Cifuentes’ low cost and willingness to take on a large project, but if we dig a little deeper, we can see the club’s reasoning behind the move.

Cifuentes took over QPR when the club was second-bottom in the Championship, but he managed to keep them out of relegation despite difficult times at Loftus Road.

Last season, however, was even more difficult, and despite keeping them up, it was decided to part ways. I believe Leicester liked what they saw and his vision for the Foxes. For example, his possession and positional play style is similar to Maresca’s. He prefers to attack with depth, width, and pace.

He filmed a tactical masterclass on YouTube about how to attack a mid block (a condensed group of defensive tactics and players in the middle of the pitch), giving us hints of his vision for the ‘new’ Leicester City.

He also impressed with his man-management abilities and personable demeanour, which will undoubtedly be welcomed in a dressing room that appears divided and fractured.

The fact that he is willing and able to work with a squad of varying ages and abilities is also a huge plus.

Leicester City sees Cifuentes as someone who can inspire and unify, bringing people together during what has been and may continue to be a difficult period for the club.

It is also understood that his coaching style is very hands-on on the training pitch, which is another important point for players who have had to quickly adapt to different managers’ styles in recent years with little success.

That being said, this season will not be easy. When a points deduction is taken into account, Leicester will not be the clear favourites to return to the top. Nonetheless, fans and members of the club will continue to have expectations.

Leicester City, a former Premier League champion with lofty ambitions, simply cannot afford to remain in the Championship. There is no doubt that the squad contains talent, and players such as Jeremy Monga provide hope for the future.

The question is whether Cifuentes has the ability to get everyone on board and believing in his vision. Leicester City has given him a two-year contract with the option of a third if he performs well, indicating that they believe so.

The man for the moment or the man for the future? We will find out.

Read more on sportupdates.co.uk