Marti Cifuentes looks to be the next Leicester manager. With this news coming through, Leicester have made a bold decision once again. They have chosen a candidate few would believe was even in the picture for such a job.
There are different opinions and talk on several of the Leicester fan channels. Some are hugely positive, others are sceptical. There are also different comments from close sources here in Norway, saying this will be “too much”. Additionally, we have seen comments from other Scandinavian Leicester fans. They are baffled and surprised to see this appointment being made.
The details about Marti Cifuenties and his work at Queens Park Rangers are impressive. This is based on the results and his starting point. Judged on that he looks to have the background needed to do a good job at Leicester. Aalborg and Hammarby are two other places he has been and said to have done a very good job. This is in real why he was appointed manager at Queens Park Rangers.
Marti Cifuenties has also played Leicester previously with his QPR team. This has been a mixed bag of two results. The latest was the 6-2 FA Cup defeat at King Power this January. Previously Marti Cifuentes impressed with a 2-1 win vs. Enzo Maresca and his team back in the 2023-24 season.
He is one of the new up and coming team manager types. He has the same profile as Thomas Frank, Will Still and Danny Rohl. He does not have a special professional football career as a player to lean on. Instead, he is more focused on studying the game and taking full advantage of his football educational background.
Marti Cifuentes is known for his thorough search for detail. He also recognizes youth and nurtures talent when he believes it is needed and in place. No doubt he will build a close relationship with Andy King and the current staff. From previous jobs, we believe he would bring with him an assistant. This time it looks as if Xavier Calm will follow him.
He is a climber. Since leaving AIK Stockholm as their head of academy, Cifuentes ha had success at every place he has been. Taking his teams to a good position, all above where they were before. The manager job at Leicester looks different. We hope and believe he can manage to settle everything in the correct manner. Building a good relation with his best players, the fanbase and the coaching staff at all levels. He also needs to understand how to communicate with the inner hierarchy at the club. This understanding could be his most difficult hurdle.
Martí Cifuentes has verbally agreed to become the new Leicester City manager 🚨#LCFC pic.twitter.com/woIgYodixc
— The Sack Race (@thesackrace) July 10, 2025
There are of course worries and negatives with this appointment of Marti Cifuentes. The major question will be how he will control the squad question. Last summer, he made a lot of changes at QPR. All of his major signings never really had much influence, being either on the fringe or not involved.
This is more or less the same we did see with Steve Cooper last summer. Throwing money out on risky projects, not really being easy to understand. Cifuentes two best moves in the market last season were Ronnie Edwards and Kieran Morgan. Ronnie Edwards joined on loan from Southampton. This was done in the January transfer window. Tottenham midfielder Kieran Morgan was a free transfer move from Tottenham.
Last summer, his most expensive signing at QPR was Nicolas Madsen. He used £3,4million on this player, coming from Belgian club Westerloo. Madsen (25) fell out of favour with Cifuentes. He later returned to the team and scored the vital 1-0 winner vs. Sunderland in the last game of the season.
Certain managers tend to recruit players from their own garden of contacts. This is another major worry with this appointment. This is the scenario that scares the most. It could downsize the quality level within the squad. Leicester could decline in performance as we have experienced in the past with certain manager recruitments.
Marti Cifuentes needs to get all Leiceser players on board. However, with the current squad Leicester have at the moment, that will be a tall order.
Former Leicester manager Enzo Maresca did have a background from Man City and came with The Trebble in his suitcase. Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy also had a very different suitcase. Marti Cifuentez arrives with a 18th and 15th position at QPR from previous seasons in the EFL Championship.
We have seen these type of appointments before and it ended terribly. Paulo Sousa comes to mind as the one very similar. He joined from Swansea, believed to play “sexy football”. He also had a past as manager of Queens Park Rangers. Looking at his philosopy and talk, you smell much of the same in this situation.
Warning signs are everywhere. Despite this, we should always give a new man his chance to impress us. He might put all our doubts in the coffin.
The appointment is not confirmed, but it looks very much on the road to become official very soon.
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