Exclusive: Andy King latest as Leicester close in on permanent manager appointment
Andy King faces an “uphill battle” to be appointed as Leicester City’s next permanent manager, sources have told Football Insider.
The 37-year-old is currently in interim charge of the Foxes after Marti Cifuentes’ sacking, but recent results have damaged his chances of being handed the job on a permanent basis.
King is highly regarded at Leicester for his work coaching both the youth team and the first team, but there is an acceptance that the top job has come too soon at this stage.
Leicester are now looking to appoint an experienced boss to come in to work alongside King, who is expected to return to his role as first-team coach. An agreement is believed to be getting closer.
A six-point deduction has left the East Midlands outfit outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone, and the club hierarchy have decided that they want their next appointment to bring experience to the role.
Leicester points deduction creates relegation fear
Football Insider revealed last weekend that Leicester are not expected to be charged with a PSR breach from last season, after they recently received news of their points deduction for financial misdemeanours during the 2023-24 campaign.
The Foxes’ six-point penalty has catapulted them firmly into the relegation battle in the Championship, and they are now in serious danger of being relegated to League One for the first time since 2008.
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away |
| 10 February | Southampton | H |
| 21 February | Stoke City | A |
| 24 February | Middlesbrough | A |
| 28 February | Norwich City | H |
| 7 March | Ipswich Town | A |
They now sit level on points with Blackburn Rovers, who occupy the final relegation spot, but have a challenging run of fixtures on the horizon against Southampton, Middlesbrough, Stoke and an improving Norwich City.
Leicester’s points deduction has ramped up the pressure for them to perform in the second half of the season and pull themselves away from trouble, and as a result, they have decided that experience is needed in the dugout.
King has never held a permanent manager’s job, and the possibility of him being appointed appears to be too much of a risk at the moment.
Foxes star blocked from Premier League move in January
Leicester blocked Jordan James from leaving the club in January, as the loanee received Premier League interest during the January transfer window.
The Foxes fought off competition from rival clubs to land the midfielder on loan from French side Rennes last summer, and they are now determined to protect their option to buy him as part of their current agreement.
Leicester are hoping that they will still be able to convince James to join them permanently in the summer, despite their season playing out very differently from their initial expectations after they were relegated from the top flight.
The 21-year-old has been a key figure at the King Power Stadium this term, and is expected to play a major role for them in the run-in to the end of the season.