(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)
Oxford United head coach Michael Appleton is understood to have told the club’s players that he is leaving to become Craig Shakespeare’s assistant at Leicester City.
Appleton, 41, has been in charge at the Kassam Stadium for three years, and led the U’s to promotion from League Two as well as to two Football League Trophy finals.
However, it appears his time at the club is coming to an end amid interest from the Foxes, with BBC Cambridge reporting that Appleton told the players he was leaving on Saturday, and that a deal with the 2015/16 Premier League champions could be agreed within 24 hours.
Shakespeare was confirmed permanent manager at Leicester earlier this month, and has been hunting for an assistant ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Having worked with Appleton at West Brom, Shakespeare rates the former Blackburn, Portsmouth and Blackpool boss very highly, and sees him as the perfect candidate to join him at the King Power stadium.
Oxford United meanwhile will be hoping the deal moves as quickly as has been suggested, with their own preparations for next season hampered by the uncertainty surrounding Appleton’s future.
Despite agreeing a £300,000 deal for Partick Thistle centre-back Liam Lindsay, the 21-year-old was reluctant to move if a managerial change was imminent, and on Saturday opted to stay with the Scottish Premier side.
