Leicester city had Jimmy thelin on their shortlist for the manager’s role before opting to appoint Gary rowett, according to .
The Foxes are battling to preserve their Championship status after a turbulent period. A drawn-out search to replace left supporters restless, especially with interim boss losing all four matches during his spell in charge.
Relief appears to be on the way with Rowett set to take over at the King Power Stadium. The seasoned Championship coach is expected to focus on steering Leicester to safety first, with any long-term decision likely postponed until the summer. Amid the speculation surrounding potential candidates, it has now emerged that Thelin was one of the final names under consideration before Rowett was given the nod.
Taking the Leicester job would have marked a swift return to management for Thelin, who left in early January. His departure came after a challenging run of results, yet his standing in the game remains strong.
The Swedish coach impressed during his first season in Scotland after arriving at Pittodrie from spells with J-Sodra IF and Elfsborg. He guided Aberdeen to a fifth-place finish and delivered a first Scottish Cup triumph in 35 years, raising expectations for further progress. However, struggles in European qualifiers, first in the Europa League and then in the Conference League, ultimately led to his exit. Even so, he departed with credit in the bank and the backing of much of the support.
For Leicester, appointing Thelin would have represented a gamble given the scale of the challenge. Many would have questioned whether it was the right environment for him at this stage of his career, which makes the decision to turn to a more experienced figure like Rowett easier to understand.
Rowett now faces a significant task. Leicester’s decline over the past decade has been stark, dropping from Premier League champions to a side fighting to avoid relegation from the Championship. Cifuentes was unable to steady the ship, and further structural changes are on the horizon with James McCarron expected to arrive as sporting director. For Rowett, though, the priority is immediate improvement on the pitch.
Next up for Leicester is a visit to , who are themselves struggling for form. The Foxes will be desperate to halt their four-game losing streak and begin climbing away from danger.