'Top, top talent': Van Nistelrooy tipped to sign Champions League star for Leicester City

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In the build up to Leicester City’s 3-1 win over West Ham United in Tuesday night’s Premier League clash, Ruud van Nistelrooy spoke about the potential of January transfers.

And, speaking during his pre-Hammers’ press conference, the message coming from Steve Cooper’s King Power replacement was that, presuming funds are available, Leicester could very well be in business.

Ruud van Nistelrooy wants to take a closer look at the squad he inherits in the East Midlands.

And there was certainly no shortage of impressive individual performances as Leicester stunned West Ham. Van Nistelrooy hailed Jamie Vardy, Bilal El-Khannouss and Patson Daka – the three goalscorers on the night – while also singling out the ‘unbelievable’ Mads Hermansen, and the ‘outstanding’ quartet of Conor Coady, Jannik Vestergaard, Boubakary Soumarae and Wilfred Ndidi.

But, should the opportunity arise to strengthen his roster, that is something Van Nistelrooy will look to do.

One man who watched the Dutchman’s PSV Eindhoven team closely during the 2022/23 season, meanwhile, would not be surprised to see Van Nistelrooy return to the Eredivisie champions for a familiar face.

Ruud van Nistelrooy tipped to take PSV’s Ismael Saibari to Leicester City

Van Nistelrooy laid the foundations for a host of talented young players to make their first steps towards stardom at the Phillips Stadium.

See Noni Madueke, now a Chelsea regular and an England international.

Xavi Simons won the Eredivisie’s Golden Boot, and is now reportedly valued at £83 million. TBR understands that Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea enquired about Xavi Simons in the summer.

Johan Bakayoko, meanwhile, looks destined to end up in one of Europe’s major leagues sooner rather than later.

And Marcel van der Kraan predicts that Ismael Saibari will feature pretty highly on Leicester’s transfer wishlist in 2025, particularly with the Barcelona-born Morocco international adding consistency to his class in recent months.

“Noni Madueke became a top player under him. Xavi Simons, who is playing for the national team, also became a top player under Ruud,” Van der Kraan tells talkSPORT. “Saibari is another one.

“[Saibari] is, at the moment, by the far the top player [at PSV]. He is a player who I can see Ruud going for at some stage in this season or at the end of the season if things go well, or he is given the money.

“Because he is a player he has worked with before and who is an absolutely top, top talent in Europe.”

Van Nistelrooy suggests January transfers possible at Leicester

Saibari, with his quick feet, explosive finishing and his ability to drive through opposition defenders with his foot pinned on the accelerator, took his tally to four goals and six assists for 2024/25 in a stunning solo display during PSV’s 5-2 thumping of FC Utrecht on Sunday.

He also scored against Juventus and provided an assists against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

PSV icon Rene van der Gijp is ‘convinced’ Saibari will end up at Arsenal.

But Leicester, presuming Van Nistelrooy can build on that West Ham win, may be a more sensible, stepping stone destination for the time being.

"That was a topic of discussion [with the Leicester bosses],” Van Nistelrooy said this week when pressed on potential winter additions. “The two conversations were very open and clear.

“It's important to know how things are in the near future and the further future. January was discussed. The current squad was discussed.

"I have to have a good assessment over the coming weeks ahead of January, giving every player a chance. I'm working with people at the club but I'm looking to bring in other people."