Leicester City have endured a really difficult season since their return to the Premier League.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have been on a slippery slide since the beginning of the festive period, losing eight out of their last nine Premier League games.
Sandwiched between that was a shock 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur, with Bilal El Khannouss earning much of the plaudits.
El Khannouss has taken the mantle of being Leicester’s difference maker since Van Nistelrooy’s arrival, though, it’s come at the expense of Facundo Buonanotte.
Much to the surprise of City fans, Buonanotte has hardly featured under the Dutchman and has been reduced to cameo appearances.
There was a rumoured fallout between the pair and it emerged on deadline day that Buonanotte wanted to leave Leicester.
Now, van Nistelrooy has just made a subtle dig at the Brighton loanee in Thursday’s press conference.
Ruud van Nistelrooy suggests Facundo Buonanotte isn’t strengthening Leicester
Speaking ahead of Leicester’s FA Cup clash against Manchester United, Van Nistelrooy made a subtle dig about Buonanotte, suggesting he’s not strengthening the team and is effectively blocking the loan spot for possible domestic recruits.
“When you strengthen the team, your chances will improve, there’s no doubt about that,” the Leicester boss said, reflecting on the January transfer window.
“But the means were not there to do so. It wasn’t possible. Also the loans were blocked because we have two players. The disappointment is that two loans are not having the minutes so they’re not strengthening the team. We looked at foreign loans.”
Van Nistelrooy must reintergrate Buonanotte
Under Steve Cooper, Buonanotte was widely regarded as City’s talisman along with Jamie Vardy and he had the goals and assists to back that up.
But for whatever reason, Van Nistelrooy just hasn’t taken to him, starting him just three times since arriving in November.
For Leicester to have the best chance of staying up, Buonanotte simply has to be in the starting line-up, otherwise, there’s far too much reliance on El Khannouss to create a moment of magic.
So hopefully, the Argentina international can convince Van Nistelrooy in training to put him back into the side.