English Premier League returnee Leicester City have appointed former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper as their new manager on a three-year deal ahead of the 2024–25 season.
Cooper, 44, has been out of work since leaving Forest in December 2023.
The Foxes have been searching for a new manager since Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea at the start of June.
Maresca joined Leicester at the start of last season, guiding the club to first place in the Championship and an immediate return to the Premier League after their relegation in 2022–23.
"I am really excited and proud to be appointed Leicester City’s first-team manager," said Cooper.
"This is a fantastic club with a rich history and passionate supporters. I am excited to work with such a talented squad, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of achieving our shared ambitions in the Premier League."
Cooper provides the Foxes with Premier League experience, having kept Forest in the top flight by finishing 16th following their promotion in 2022.
He was a popular figure with Forest supporters, but he was sacked midway through last season, with the club 17th in the table.
The former Forest boss guided England's Under-17s to victory at the 2017 World Cup and also spent two years at Swansea, taking them to the Championship play-off final in 2021, where they lost to Brentford.
Cooper's first competitive fixture in charge will be on August 19, when Leicester host Tottenham in the Premier League.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku gets a new manager at Leicester City
Ghana international Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is expected to seal a permanent move to the English Premier League side after a remarkable loan spell at Leicester City in the recently concluded season.
It is believed that Leicester City have reached an agreement to secure the signature of the 20-year-old permanently from Portuguese side Sporting CP for a fee of €17 million.
Fatawu Issahaku contributed six goals and provided 13 assists in 39 appearances for the Foxes, becoming the club's second-assist provider, just behind Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
He was voted Leicester City's Young Player of the 2023–24 season.
Steve Cooper's relationship with Ghanaian Players
The Welsh-born coach has had stints with some Ghanaian footballers, including the captain of the Black Stars, Andre Ayew, during his days at Swansea City and Nottingham Forest.
In his last two jobs—Swansea City in the Championship and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League— he worked with Andre Ayew and really admires players from the West African nation.
In the twilight of Andre Ayew's career, Cooper signed the former West Ham United star on a short-term contract for Nottingham Forest, having parted ways with Qatari side Al Sadd by mutual consent in 2022.
Ayew was released by Nottingham Forest upon the expiration of his contract after making 13 Premier League appearances without scoring a goal in the process.
