Leicester City has confirmed Dean Smith’s appointment as their new manager on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
The Englishman, who previously managed Aston Villa and Norwich City, has arrived at the King Power Stadium as an interim successor to Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester City is currently battling relegation in the Premier League, and Dean Smith has been tasked with ensuring their survival in the top-flight with only eight games left to play.
Dean Smith will work alongside his former Villa assistant, John Terry, and another ex-Canaries coach, Craig Shakespeare. Shakespeare previously served as a manager with Leicester after Claudio Ranieri’s departure in 2017.
Rumors indicate that Jesse Marsch was Leicester first candidate but they finally chose Dean Smith
“I’m really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season,” Dean Smith said.
“The challenge in front of us is clear, but it’s one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it’s very much achievable.”
Leicester City parted ways with Rodgers, who was their second-longest serving manager of the Premier League era, because he was unable to improve their results, leaving them in second-to-last place in the Premier League.
During his tenure, the Northern Irishman led the team to victories in the FA Cup and Community Shield, as well as consecutive European finishes in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Norwich dismissed Dean Smith last December due to their disappointing start to their first season back in the Championship.
On Saturday, the Foxes will face Manchester City, who are competing for the title, before returning home to play Wolves in a match that will likely be crucial for their survival.
City has 25 points from 30 matches, but only five points separate them from West Ham, who are in 14th place in the congested bottom half of the league.
