Ruud van Nistelrooy freezes Harry Winks out of Leicester City squad over commuting feud
Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy’s feud with player Harry Winks has left the midfielder on the sidelines of his squad.
Winks, who previously had no issues traveling from his Hertfordshire home under the former manager, now finds himself at odds with Van Nistelrooy, who appears to have lost patience with his lengthy commutes.
The disagreement reportedly escalated during the international break when Winks refused to stay overnight at the club’s training ground once a week. Van Nistelrooy, keen to instill discipline within the squad, urged the midfielder to stay overnight to improve preparation, but Winks declined.
Winks is one of three senior players who travel more than 90 miles daily to Leicester’s Seagrave training complex. While the former England international has personal reasons for his long commute - with a newborn baby at home - his refusal to relocate has become a point of contention.
Unlike former boss Enzo Maresca, who allowed Winks to continue his routine, van Nistelrooy is taking a firmer stance. According to The Telegraph, the Dutchman had specifically asked Winks to stay overnight ahead of Wednesday’s game against Manchester City, as the team had an evening training session followed by one the next morning.
It remains unclear whether the 29-year-old will feature in Monday night’s match against Newcastle, but sources indicate his clash with Van Nistelrooy was heated.
Leicester’s £100m training facility is considered one of the best in the country, complete with hotel accommodations for players. While some use the overnight option, concerns about player conduct persist, especially with the club facing relegation.
Defender Jannik Vestergaard also made headlines recently when he brought his dog to the training ground. He was reportedly granted special permission to do so because his family was away and had no one to look after the pet. Like Winks, Vestergaard also commutes to Leicester.
Van Nistelrooy has struggled to turn Leicester’s season around, with 14 losses in the last 15 league games. Their 2-0 defeat to Man City left them second-bottom in the table, 12 points from safety, with time running out. Despite the challenges, the former Manchester United striker remains firm in his efforts to raise standards.
He said: “One of the first things I looked at when I arrived was to see how things are done here, and then apply my standards in this environment. In general, I’ve tried to increase the standards over the past three months. You have to take full advantage of these facilities.
“That is where the standards come in. It’s a perfect place to increase the standards as high as I feel is possible to run a club that wants to be in the Premier League.”