Ex-Rangers boss Martin appointed as Leicester manager

Leicester City have named former Rangers and Southampton boss Russell Martin as their manager on a three-year contract.

Martin's 123-day spell in the Scottish Premiership with Rangers ended in October and he drops down to England's third tier to try to revive his coaching career.

The 40-year-old takes over a Leicester side who find themselves in League One after back-to-back relegations.

He replaces Gary Rowett, who failed to keep the Foxes in the Championship during his short-term contract last season after taking over a side hit by a six-point deduction for previous spending breaches.

"This is a club with great history, strong support and high expectations, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the club, the city and the supporters," said Martin.

"My immediate focus is on the team: building strong relationships, setting clear standards and creating performances that Leicester City supporters can connect with and be proud of."

Martin becomes the seventh permanent manager appointed at Leicester since FA Cup-winning boss Brendan Rodgers left in April 2023.

Dean Smith, Enzo Maresca, Steve Cooper, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Marti Cifuentes and Rowett all had stints in charge at King Power Stadium in the chaotic years since Rodgers' departure.

The Foxes have been relegated three times in the past four seasons and promoted once, with Maresca leaving for Chelsea immediately after leading Leicester to the Championship title in his only season in charge - 2023-24.

The nadir for the Foxes came last season, with a points deduction contributing to their relegation to League One in a campaign that marked the 10-year anniversary of the club's famous 5,000-1 Premier League title triumph.

Martin, who guided Southampton to Premier League promotion with a play-off final win against Leeds United in the same season that Leicester went up as Championship winners in 2024, takes the Foxes job at a time when both he and the club need to rebuild their reputations.

"Russell will be supported by a football structure focused on alignment, accountability and high standards," said Leicester's sporting director James McCarron.

"Our role is to make sure the right environment is in place around the team."

The manner in which Martin oversaw Southampton's promotion - based on a possession heavy, patient passing approach - was a reflection of the football Maresca, a manager now being linked as Pep Guardiola's replacement at Manchester City, had Leicester playing at the same time.

It is why Leicester were keen on appointing Martin last summer before he joined Rangers, and why he has got the job this time around.

He also moves to Leicester - a club playing in the third tier for just the second time in their 142-year history - with League One know-how having started his managerial career at that level with MK Dons in 2019.

It was there that the former Scotland international, who counts Norwich City, Rangers, Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United among the clubs he played for, hung up his boots to move into management.

After guiding MK Dons to a 13th-placed finish in 2020-21, he was appointed boss at Swansea City, where he spent two seasons before taking over at Southampton.