The Premier League’s allure is such that it captivates players during their careers and often draws them back as managers.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s appointment as Leicester City’s manager continues this tradition, making him the fourth current manager with Premier League playing experience, alongside Mikel Arteta, Russell Martin and Gary O’Neil.
As a player, Van Nistelrooy mastered the hardest and most important thing on a football pitch: scoring goals.
The Dutchman terrorised defences during his five-year stint at Manchester United (2001-2006), netting 95 Premier League goals in 150 appearances, at a rate of 128 minutes per goal.
His best season was in 2002/03, when his 25 league goals fired United to the title, earning him the Premier League Golden Boot, ahead of Arsenal’s Thierry Henry. Van Nistelrooy’s sharpness in front of goal extended beyond domestic competitions, with his 38 goals in European matches second only to Wayne Rooney's 39 for the Red Devils.
Van Nistelrooy began his managerial career with PSV Eindhoven, where he also played earlier in his career, leading them to a cup double, lifting the Johan Cruyff Shield and KNVB Cup.
In July 2024, he joined Manchester United as an assistant coach, but was quickly thrust into the interim head coach’s role following Erik ten Hag’s sacking. He oversaw four matches, winning three and drawing one, including two victories over Leicester — the team he now takes charge of — 3-0 in the Premier League and 5-2 in the EFL Cup.
Ex-Premier League players in the dugout
Van Nistelrooy’s arrival unites him with a small group of former players now in charge of Premier League clubs.
Mikel Arteta
Arteta spent 12 seasons in the Premier League, playing for Everton and Arsenal. The Spanish midfielder made 284 appearances, scoring 41 goals and providing 42 assists.
He won two FA Cups with the Gunners before transitioning into coaching. Since taking over at his former club in 2019, he has delivered an FA Cup and guided Arsenal back into title contention, finishing second in each of the last two seasons.
Russell Martin
Martin’s time as a player was defined by his leadership at Norwich City, where he captained the Canaries to Premier League promotion in 2015.
As a manager, he won admirers for his commitment to possession-based football, notably at Swansea City, and now leads Southampton with a similar philosophy.
Gary O’Neil
O’Neil played for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham and Norwich City in the Premier League. A box-to-box midfielder, he amassed over 200 Premier League appearances and scored 16 goals.
Part of the Bournemouth coaching staff for the club's successful promotion campaign in 2021/22 back to the Premier League, O'Neil took over as the club's interim head coach in August 2022 after Scott Parker was fired.
He was appointed on a permanent basis in November 2022 and guided the Cherries to Premier League safety in that season before taking over at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2023.
Premier League players turned managers
Van Nistelrooy’s appointment adds to a list of 78 players-turned-managers in the Premier League, including some notable names.
Alan Shearer: The Premier League’s all-time leading scorer briefly managed his former club Newcastle United for the final eight matches of the 2008/09 season.
Gareth Southgate: He managed Middlesbrough between 2006 and 2009, but most notably England from 2016 to 2024, reaching a FIFA World Cup semi-final in 2018 and two Euros finals.
Patrick Vieira: The former Arsenal midfielder managed Crystal Palace between 2021 and 2023, guiding the Eagles to a 12th- place finish in 2021/22 and the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they lost to Chelsea.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: A Treble winner in 1998/89 during an 11-year playing career with Manchester United, Solskjaer led the club to a second-place finish in 2020/21.
Roy Keane: The combative midfield leader for Manchester United managed Sunderland, where he led the club back to the Premier League in 2007.
