Leicester City has appointed Marti Cifuentes, former head coach of Queens Park Rangers, as their new manager on a three-year contract.
The 43-year-old Spaniard steps in to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy, with less than a month remaining before the new season commences.
Cifuentes will lead a Leicester team that finds itself in the Championship for the second time in three years, following immediate relegation from the Premier League after winning the second-tier title under Enzo Maresca in 2024.
Joining Maresca, who departed for Chelsea after securing promotion, Cifuentes becomes the sixth permanent manager for the Foxes in just over two years.
Similar to Maresca's mission of guiding the East Midlands club back to the Premier League, Cifuentes is also expected to secure promotion.
During his tenure at QPR, the Spaniard achieved 18th and 15th-place finishes.
Leicester City believes Cifuentes will introduce "a modern, progressive footballing philosophy" to the club. Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha commented that Cifuentes "is an excellent fit."
"We strongly believe that his appointment will help us achieve the success we all desire in the coming years," Srivaddhanaprabha added.
Cifuentes took charge of QPR when they were second-to-last in the Championship in October 2023, initially tasked with avoiding relegation at Loftus Road.
His most recent campaign ended with him on gardening leave following a 5-0 loss to already-promoted Burnley in April.