logo
Who is Marti Cifuentes, Leicester City's new manager?

Who is Marti Cifuentes, Leicester City's new manager?

The Hindu2 days ago
Leicester City has appointed Spanish coach Marti Cifuentes as its new manager, the former Premier League champion announced on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old joins the Foxes on a three-year contract. Cifuentes will be joined by Xavi Calm as his assistant manager. Calm worked alongside him in his previous role at Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in the Championship.
He arrives following a spell at QPR, where he took over in October 2023, guiding the London side from the Championship relegation zone to an 18th-place finish with five wins in the final eight games.
Prior to moving to England, the Catalonia-born coach worked with Hammarby IF in Sweden, leading it to a Swedish Cup final and European qualification, and with Sandefjord in Norway.
Cifuentes succeeds Ruud van Nistelrooy, who parted ways with club last month after the Dutchman failed to prevent Leicester from getting relegated to the Championship. The side finished 18th with 25 points at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Related Topics
Leicester City
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Backyard dreams to Old Trafford: Cunha reacts to Manchester United move
Backyard dreams to Old Trafford: Cunha reacts to Manchester United move

Business Standard

time31 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

Backyard dreams to Old Trafford: Cunha reacts to Manchester United move

When asked about the footballers who shaped his passion for the sport, Cunha highlighted several Manchester United greats like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo among others. Shashwat Nishant New Delhi As the Premier League 2025–26 season approaches, Manchester United's newest recruit, Matheus Cunha, opened up about what it means to join the club and shared some heartfelt memories from his childhood that sparked his admiration for the Red Devils. He also spoke about the football legends who influenced his style of play during his formative years. 'I still can't believe I'm here' In an exclusive chat with JioHotstar, Cunha expressed his emotions about signing for Manchester United: 'It's honestly hard to put this feeling into words. Joining United is like living out a childhood dream. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm here. This club has always held a special place in my heart. Back in Brazil, we didn't have access to Premier League matches at my house or my cousins'. The only place we could watch them was at my grandmother's home. So, every weekend, we'd gather there just to watch the games. My older cousin was a passionate Manchester United supporter and he was the one who introduced me to the club and the league. I still remember pretending to be a United player on the rough gravel pitches we had back home. Thinking about those days and seeing where I am now, it's incredibly moving.' When asked about the footballers who shaped his passion for the sport, Cunha highlighted several Manchester United greats: 'Wayne Rooney was a big inspiration for me. I admired how he gave everything on the pitch, sliding in for tackles, working hard defensively, and still making a huge difference in attack. I've tried to bring some of that same energy and commitment into my own game. He wore the iconic number 10 shirt and led by example. Of course, there were others too, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Edwin van der Sar. That whole squad left a lasting impression on me during my teenage years.'

Hugo Ekitike transfer news: Liverpool advancing talks with Eintracht Frankfurt for 23-year-old star striker
Hugo Ekitike transfer news: Liverpool advancing talks with Eintracht Frankfurt for 23-year-old star striker

Mint

timean hour ago

  • Mint

Hugo Ekitike transfer news: Liverpool advancing talks with Eintracht Frankfurt for 23-year-old star striker

Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions, are closing in on a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt's talented striker Hugo Ekitike, according to reports. The 23-year-old Frenchman has given his approval for a potential move to Anfield, provided the clubs can finalize an agreement. The Reds, under the guidance of manager Arne Slot, have already secured high-profile signings like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, with their spending exceeding £200 million. Yet, they show no signs of slowing down, with Ekitike emerging as their top target to strengthen their attacking options. Hugo Ekitike has become one of Europe's most remarkable young forwards after an impressive 18-month stint at Eintracht Frankfurt. He has been remarkable in the Bundesliga. He has scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in 48 appearances during the 2024/25 season. Eintracht Frankfurt's Champions League qualification for 2025/26 has boosted his profile, but the club is bracing for bids from England's elite, with the high valuation. Liverpool have moved swiftly to secure Ekitike's services, agreeing personal terms with the player for a six-year contract, according to a report by Liverpool Echo. The Reds have been in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over the past 48 hours, with negotiations progressing rapidly. Hugo Ekitike has made it clear that his preferred destination is Anfield, informing Frankfurt of his desire to join Liverpool. This development has given the Reds a clear advantage over rivals, particularly Newcastle United, who recently had a £69.4 million (€80 million) bid rejected by the Bundesliga club. Frankfurt are holding firm on their valuation, reportedly seeking a fee closer to €100 million (£86.7 million) for their star striker, who is under contract until 2029. Liverpool's initial offer, believed to be around £70 million, was turned down, but talks continue as the Reds prepare a revised bid. The German club's reputation as tough negotiators suggests Liverpool may need to meet or approach the €100 million mark to finalize the deal. The pursuit of Ekitike comes as Liverpool look to reshape their forward line. With Darwin Nunez facing an uncertain future and Luis Diaz attracting interest from European giants like Barcelona and Bayern Munich, the Reds are prioritizing a reliable centre-forward. Ekitike is seen as a good option to replace Nunez, offering both goal-scoring and playmaking abilities, with his eight assists last season ranking him among the top 6% of forwards in Germany for chance creation. Liverpool have intensified their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike after Newcastle rejected their approach for Alexander Isak, whose £120 million price tag was deemed too high. With Newcastle now targeting Brentford's Yoane Wissa, Liverpool have a clear opportunity to sign Ekitike. With negotiations advancing and Ekitike keen on the move, Liverpool aim to wrap up the deal before their pre-season tour in Asia next week. The transfer, if completed, could push Liverpool's summer spending beyond £250 million.

How much money is getting involved in football transfer market globally?
How much money is getting involved in football transfer market globally?

Business Standard

time3 hours ago

  • Business Standard

How much money is getting involved in football transfer market globally?

Football clubs worldwide committed significant sums to transfer fees over the past decade. Spending peaked in 2019 at €9.99 bn, dipped during the pandemic, then surged to a record €12.24 bn in 2023. Although 2024 saw a 10% decline, the €10.96 bn spent remains the second-highest total ever. Intriguingly, domestic transfers also hit a new high in 2024, reaching €3.63 bn, surpassing the previous best of €3.55 bn in 2017. Big-5 Leagues dominating the market share Clubs from Europe's Big-5 leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1) continue to dominate global transfer outlays. In most seasons over the past decade, their share remained at or above two-thirds of total spending. However, a slight decline in their proportional activity during 2023 and 2024 is attributed to the financial firepower emerging from the Saudi Pro League and tightened budgets in La Liga. Percentage of Europe's Big-5 league clubs' investments from 2015 to 2024: Year Big-5 League Investment Share (%) 2015 73.40% 2016 67.10% 2017 72.80% 2018 71.80% 2019 69.40% 2020 72.30% 2021 68.10% 2022 71.40% 2023 65.20% 2024 62.50% League-by-League Investment Insights England's Premier League leads the pack with a staggering €23.02 bn invested, accounting for 28.1% of total global expenditures. Next in line is Serie A with €10.84 bn, followed by the other three major European leagues, each contributing between €7–8 bn. Outside Europe's elite five, the English Championship tops non-Big-5 league spending at €2.55 bn, trailed by the Saudi Pro League at €2.09 bn. Transfer fees spent worldwide, including add-ons from 2015 to 2024: Year Fixed Fees (€ bn) Add-ons (€ bn) Total (€ bn) 2015 € 3.71 € 2.18 € 5.88 2016 € 4.25 € 2.61 € 6.86 2017 € 5.51 € 3.55 € 9.06 2018 € 5.61 € 2.71 € 8.32 2019 € 6.46 € 3.53 € 9.99 2020 € 5.01 € 2.50 € 7.51 2021 € 4.11 € 1.88 € 5.99 2022 € 6.20 € 3.13 € 9.34 2023 € 8.82 € 3.42 € 12.24 2024 € 7.33 € 3.63 € 10.96 Net Transfer Spending: Winners vs Losers Net balances (transfer income minus expenditure) paint a stark contrast: The Portuguese Primeira Liga boasts the best net balance at +€2.34 bn, mainly due to high-margin player sales. In contrast, the Premier League shows the most negative net position at –€11.54 bn. The English Championship follows with a positive €1.50 bn net surplus. Meanwhile, the Saudi Pro League ranks among the largest net spenders, with –€1.81 bn. Club-Level Insights: Expenditure & net Returns Top Spenders of the Decade Chelsea leads all clubs in total spending, committing an eye-watering €2.78 bn over ten years, 42% more than closest rivals Manchester City and Manchester United. The Net Spend Deficit Leaders When factoring in transfer income: Manchester United holds the worst net record with –€1.304 bn. Chelsea isn't far behind (–€1.209 bn), and Paris Saint-Germain also features prominently with –€991 m. Of the top 20 net spenders, 14 are English clubs. Notably, Real Madrid ranks only 25th with a net deficit of –€304 m. Clubs with Positive Net Transfers Several clubs outside Europe's top five leagues shine on transfer profits: SL Benfica tops the list with +€816 m over the decade. Other standout positive performers include Ajax (+€473 m) and RB Salzburg (+€401 m). Among Big-5 league clubs, LOSC Lille recorded the highest surplus at +€391 m. Year-by-Year trade outcomes Manchester United consistently ended each year with a negative net spend, crossing the –€100 m threshold seven times, peaking at €234 m in 2022. By contrast, Benfica posted positive net income in nine of the ten years, with four seasons seeing surpluses above €100 m, most notably €161 m in 2019, bolstered by the high-value João Félix transfer to Atlético Madrid. Although global transfer activity declined slightly in 2024, the intensity remained high at €10.96 bn, making it the second largest year on record. Domestic transfers also hit record levels, indicating both scale and depth in club investment. Over the past decade, the Premier League has clearly driven transfer market momentum, capturing 28% of global activity, a dominance that becomes even starker when considered alongside the collective force of Europe's Big-5 leagues. At club level, Chelsea stands out for its spending prowess, while Manchester United's massive net loss serves as a cautionary tale. On the flip side, clubs like Benfica, Ajax, and RB Salzburg highlight the profit potential available through smart market management. From league-wide commitments to individual club strategies, this decade's transfer data underscores the evolving balance between ambition, financial discipline, and return on investment in the global football economy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store