Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy was reportedly “involved in a heated exchange” with several players after his side lost 2-0 against Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday 18 January.
Van Nistelrooy, 48, took charge of the Foxes after Steve Cooper parted company with the club back in late November.
Despite boasting a 3-1 win against West Ham from his first match in charge on December 3, the former United man has seen his side slump to a run of seven consecutive Premier League defeats.
His only win since the West Ham game came in a 6-2 trouncing of QPR in the FA Cup third round on January 11.
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As ever, a poor run of form causes soul-searching in dressing rooms.
According to Mail, 20-year-old Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte was thought to be frustrating his boss and caught the brunt of the exchange following the defeat against Fulham last Saturday.
The Argentinian was a 71st-minute substitute during the match, having replaced Jordan Ayew after Marco Silva’s side doubled their lead thanks to an Adama Traore volley.
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Buonanotte, who sports two caps for his country, failed to make a positive impact and gave the ball away several times to the dismay of Van Nistelrooy.
The Mail's report claims this was the second time in recent weeks that such an incident has occurred, with senior players reportedly holding "an inquest" following the club's 2-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace on January 15.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that defender Caleb Okoli, who did not feature against Fulham, was also involved in an exchange with the Leicester boss.
The outlet explains that "Van Nistelrooy turned on Okoli" over his choice of boots then "insisted they made him frequently slip over". Following the incident Okoli "demanded a meeting" with director of football Jon Rudkin with it increasingly likely that he leaves in the January transfer window.
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The Foxes sit 19th in the league with just three wins from 22 games this term. They are next in action on Sunday when they will travel to north London to face Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur, who have troubles of their own.
Topics: Leicester City, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Premier League, Fulham, FA Cup
Luke Davies