Ruud van Nistelrooy: Real reason Leicester City are still waiting to sack manager

Leicester have decided to sack Ruud van Nistelrooy but have kept the Dutchman in his post for weeks to avoid a second managerial pay-off on this year's accounts. The Foxes were relegated from the Premier League with the ex-Manchester United star at the helm.

They failed to mount much of a challenge with their relegation a long time coming. Van Nistelrooy, who replaced Steve Cooper, could not halt their demise and they returned to the Championship after just one season in the top flight.

Van Nistelrooy's dismissal was expected but, with just seven weeks until the second tier season begins, he remains in a job. However the 48-year-old's time will be up when the Foxes enter their next football accounting period with the delay down to the amount it will cost to get rid of the manager, reports The Sun.

Van Nistelrooy's horrid tenure saw him preside over 17 defeats across his 19 matches. During that period Leicester managed to go nine home Premier League matches in a row without scoring a single goal - losing all of them.

Leicester's relegation was confirmed on April 20 but there was no change in the dugout and there has been no communication over Van Nistelrooy's position, but the club's bosses are ready to move him on.

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Leicester are still anxiously waiting on the points penalty they will pick up for past financial offences, which has factored into their timing when it comes to changing their manager. Despite having to tighten the purse strings it is understood that Sean Dyche will take charge.

Russell Martin, who led Southampton to promotion from the Championship, was previously linked but he has since taken the Rangers job which left the Leicester hierarchy to look elsewhere. Dyche has previous of enjoying promotion from the second tier.

After Leicester's relegation Van Nistelrooy said he "hopes to speak" with the club about his future. "I would like to talk and that's the first thing that needs to happen," he said. "It's been silent and it's something towards the end of the season, get things done with and then I expect to hear something."

For the first time in well over a decade Leicester will play a season without Jamie Vardy after the veteran's time with the club came to an end. His contract expired and he scored in his final outing as he and the club go in different directions.

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