Cooper now the leading contender for Leicester job

Steve Cooper is now nan starring contender to go Leicester's caller manager.

The 44-year-old has been retired of activity since being sacked by Nottingham Forest successful December but has held further talks pinch their East Midlands rivals.

Former Chelsea and Brighton head Graham Potter and West Brom leader Carlos Corberan person besides been considered by nan Foxes.

At nan commencement of nan week Potter appeared to beryllium nan frontrunner successful a fluid situation, but Cooper is now seen arsenic nan premier candidate.

Leicester had antecedently tried to tempt Potter to nan King Power Stadium past April earlier their relegation from nan Premier League, but he was not fresh to return to guidance conscionable days after being sacked by Chelsea having spent little than 7 months successful charge.

The Foxes won nan Championship past play and will look Tottenham successful their opening lucifer of adjacent play aft nan release of nan Premier League fixtures.

Leicester person been searching for a caller leader aft Enzo Maresca's departure to Chelsea astatine nan commencement of nan month.

The nine were disappointed nan title-winning caput coach near aft conscionable a play successful charge, having guided them to an contiguous return to nan Premier League.

Maresca had been unhappy pinch problems he had spoken astir but not elaborate during nan campaign, but immoderate issues had been resolved pursuing post-season talks and nan nine were looking guardant to readying pinch nan erstwhile Manchester City coach.

His departure did astatine slightest gain nan nine astir £10m successful compensation which will thief pinch complying pinch profit and sustainability.

Leicester look nan anticipation of starting nan play pinch a points deduction. The nine were charged pinch breaching profit and sustainability rules successful March and could look different reward if they are not compliant by 30 June which whitethorn spot them forced to waste players.

Cooper guided England Under-17s to triumph astatine their World Cup successful 2017 and besides spent 2 years astatine Swansea, taking them to nan play-off last successful 2021 wherever they mislaid to Brentford.

He won nan Championship play-offs pinch Forest a twelvemonth later, ending nan club's 23-year exile from nan apical flight, having taken complete erstwhile nan nine were bottommost successful September 2021.

Under him, Forest vanished 16th successful nan Premier League successful 2022-23 but he near nan City Ground conscionable earlier Christmas successful nan 2023-24 run pinch nan nine 17th successful nan table.