Two names emerge in Leicester City manager search | OneFootball

Marti Cifuentes was dismissed as Foxes boss on Sunday afternoon

Leicester City have reportedly considered both Gary Rowett and Derek McInnes as potential replacements for Marti Cifuentes, who was relieved of his duties at the King Power Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

That is according to Matt Barlow of the Daily Mail, with the Foxes now looking for their fifth permanent manager since winning the Championship title under Enzo Maresca in May 2024.

It has been a grim return to the second tier for the East Midlands side, who have failed to showcase any signs of putting together a sustained promotion bid back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, with many predicting the aforementioned outcome to take place before the campaign got underway.

Cifuentes had been handed a three-year contract at the King Power Stadium last June after previously working at Leicester's current divisional rivals, Queens Park Rangers, for just over 18 months before being placed on gardening leave, with said developments subsequently accelerating his move to the Foxes.

Yet, after a bright start which coincided with a summer transfer window of very little activity in the way of incomings due to PSR concerns, a dire run of form saw Leicester hit a new recent low on Saturday afternoon as they were defeated 2-1 by relegation-threatened Oxford United at the King Power - a result which, ironically, saw Matt Bloomfield record his first win in charge of the visitors after replacing Rowett as U's boss two weeks ago.

With plenty of uncertainty currently surrounding the Premier League champions of 10 years ago, speculation is already rife as to who could replace the Spaniard in the dugout, with Leicester currently 14th in the Championship table, having accumulated 38 points from their first 29 games - six points behind the top six and just nine clear of the relegation zone amid fear of a points' deduction.

Gary Rowett and Derek McInnes namedropped as potential replacements for Marti Cifuentes at Leicester City

As per the Daily Mail's fresh report on Leicester's latest managerial saga, it has been claimed that Rowett and McInnes are being considered as potential candidates by the Foxes hierarchy.

It has been stated that they are looking for an experienced figure to oversee matters at the King Power following Cifuentes' failed tenure, with Rowett certainly fitting that bill after several previous managerial spells in the Championship after initially honing his craft with Burton Albion.

Rowett may have been dismissed by Oxford just two days before Christmas, but is also able to call upon a successful spell at Millwall and two contrasting stints with Birmingham City on top of further experience at Derby County and Stoke City.

The Bromsgrove-born man does have a previous connection with the Foxes through his playing days, though. After suffering play-off heartbreak on two occasions with Birmingham, Rowett moved to Filbert Street in the summer of 2000 for a reported £3m, with the Foxes competing in the UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League) after winning the EFL Cup the previous season.

The 51-year-old former full-back made 57 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring three times before joining Charlton Athletic in May 2002.

McInnes is also being considered for the vacancy as a result of his experience. The 54-year-old is currently overseeing a title charge with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, as the Edinburgh outfit are currently four points ahead of nearest challengers, Rangers, having registered a 2-2 draw with current champions, Celtic, at Tynecastle Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Paisley native has earned a strong reputation when it comes to management in the Scottish game through spells at St Johnstone, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and now Hearts. However, his only previous spell in the Championship with Bristol City was certainly mixed between October 2011 and January 2013.

Ironically, his final game in charge of the Robins was a 4-0 defeat to Leicester as the West Country side ended the 2012/13 campaign rock-bottom of the second tier.

Although Leicester's recent history as Premier League champions, FA Cup winners and European regulars, as well as impressive training facilities could normally be a key way to lure several managers to the King Power, the truth is the Foxes could find it extremely tough to prize McInnes away from Hearts.

The Scot agreed a new four-year deal at Tynecastle Park last May and promised to "deliver silverware" to his current supporters, who could see their side win the SPFL for the first time in 66 years at the end of the campaign.

Of course, there are plenty of talented individuals amongst the Leicester ranks, but the club's concerning financial landscape could also impact the thought process of those linked with the post, as limited resources would only make it harder to conduct a successful rebuild with the Midlands club.