Ruud van Nistelrooy appointment can kick-start 23-year-old's Burnley career: View | OneFootball

Lyle Foster has struggled for goals since moving to Turf Moor, but could benefit from the guidance of the former Manchester United man

Highlights

Ruud van Nistelrooy is among the frontrunners for the vacant Burnley managerial position as it stands, with the former Manchester United striker said to have been interviewed about the role at Turf Moor.

The Dutchman is reportedly on a three-man list to replace Vincent Kompany as Clarets boss this summer, following the Belgian’s departure for German giants Bayern Munich last month.

He is rumoured to be in the running alongside West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan and another unnamed candidate as it stands as the Lancashire outfit close in on a new boss ahead of the upcoming campaign.

If it is the ex-Real Madrid man who gets the nod to take the reins, it could play into the hands of Lyle Foster, with the striker yet to catch fire after making the move to England last year.

Burnley Ruud van Nistelrooy appointment can help reinvigorate Clarets flop Lyle Foster

Foster’s arrival at Turf Moor was much-anticipated after making the move from Belgian side Westerlo in January 2023, with the reported fee said to be around the £12 million mark.

The South African international has so far failed to hit the heights expected of him during his time in Lancashire though, with just six goals for the club in 35 league appearances to date.

The first of those came in a 3-0 victory over Wigan Athletic en route to the 22/23 Championship title but that was his only Football League goal in eleven outings after his move.

In what proved to be a difficult season in the Premier League for both player and club, the 23-year-old started the season with three goals in his first five matches, before netting just twice between the first weekend of October and the end of the season.

But the arrival of van Nistelrooy [pictured] could change all that, because not only was he one of the world’s finest strikers during his playing career, but his previous coaching roles seem to suggest he favours an all-out attacking style of play as well.

There will be no better player to learn the tricks of the trade from than a player who previously netted 95 times in 150 appearances for the Red Devils at the start of the Century, with the Dutchman’s natural ability to sniff out chances second to none during his time at Old Trafford.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV Eindhoven evidence suggests prominent role for Lyle Foster

Van Nistelrooy has been out of work since leaving PSV Eindhoven at the end of the 22/23 campaign, having engineered a side that knew no boundaries when it came to attacking intent.

Leading his team to a second-placed finish in the Eredivisie - and leaving the club with a 68% win ratio - the Dutchman compiled a squad that scored goals at will during his 11 months in charge.

Over the course of his 50 matches at the helm, Eindhoven hit the back of the net a whopping 127 times, averaging out at 2.54 goals per game.

That will be one of the criteria that will be in his favour as the Clarets make their choice for their next boss, with Kompany overseeing a promotion-winning side that registered 85 goals last time they were in the Football League.

Even though Foster was unable to make the most of his side’s fluid attacking threat in their previous Championship campaign, the arrival of a boss keen to take the front-foot in games and outscore the opposition could lend the South African the lifeline he needs next season.

The Clarets have an embarrassment of riches at their disposal ahead of the Championship campaign as it stands, although the likes of Wout Weghorst and Scott Twine are among those linked with a move away.