JUST IN: Steve Cooper EPL reunion set as Ex -Nottingham Forest agree terms to manage EFL newly promoted team….. He will Visit City Ground once againi.
Leicester City conducted a comprehensive due diligence process and engaged with multiple potential candidates for their managerial position. Graham Potter, formerly of Brighton and Chelsea, was seriously considered but discussions stalled due to various issues on both sides.
Steve Cooper, 44, emerged as Leicester’s clear preferred candidate and is definitively not their second choice to replace Enzo Maresca, who secured promotion back to the Premier League last season before joining Chelsea.
Potter remains interested in returning to management and could be a contender for the England manager role, along with others, should Gareth Southgate depart after the Euros.
Cooper has been unemployed since his dismissal from Nottingham Forest last December, where he spent just over two years. Forest were 17th in the table with only one win in 13 matches when he left.
Previously, Cooper managed England’s U16 and U17 teams, winning the World Cup with the latter in 2017, before leading Swansea City from 2019-2021.
Leicester City legend Emile Heskey believes the new manager’s primary goal should be Premier League survival, given the limited capacity for new signings. Speaking at Husqvarna’s Victory Dance campaign launch, Heskey suggested maintaining Maresca’s playing style would be beneficial.
Heskey emphasized the importance of continuity in the club’s playing philosophy, noting that even the U21s have adopted Maresca’s fundamentals. He stressed the need to retain key players like Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and highlighted the forward and center-back positions as areas needing reinforcement.
The former striker concluded that staying in the Premier League is crucial for Leicester, allowing them to reset and build from there, especially given their limited spending power. He pointed out that the current squad is similar to the one relegated, with Jamie Vardy re-signing but other key positions still requiring attention.