Leicester City’s immediate return to the Premier League after relegation raised a concerning question: are the 2016 champions at risk of becoming a “yo-yo club”? After dominating the Championship last season, the Foxes have struggled to establish themselves back in the top flight, suggesting they could join the ranks of teams bouncing between divisions.
Leicester’s Championship dominance under Enzo Maresca exemplified the “bounce-back” effect, with Premier League quality players like Jamie Vardy, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Harry Winks proving too strong for second-tier opposition.
However, their subsequent struggles highlight the widening gap between England’s top two divisions, and the recent loss at home to Newcastle United – where there were a plethora of empty seats at the King Power Stadium after going 3-0 down within half an hour – showed all the early sides of Championship relegation odds heading their way.
Financial pressures had forced Leicester to sell key midfielder Dewsbury-Hall since their return, and they’ve faced significant difficulties complying with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), reportedly needing to generate approximately £80 million through player sales. Under new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who replaced Steve Cooper earlier this season, results have remained inconsistent.
Leicester’s current predicament under the Dutchman reflects the significant challenge facing promoted sides. With inconsistent results and financial constraints limiting their ability to strengthen the squad, they exemplify how difficult it is to reestablish Premier League stability following relegation.
The current Championship promotion race provides further evidence of this pattern. Two of last season’s relegated teams—Burnley and Sheffield United—currently occupy automatic promotion positions and look set to return to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season. Like Leicester before them, they’ve leveraged their Premier League squad quality and parachute payments to dominate Championship opposition.
But will they fare better than Leicester upon their return? Recent history suggests the “yo-yo club” phenomenon is becoming increasingly common in English football. Clubs like Norwich City, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion have all experienced this cycle in recent years, finding themselves too strong for the Championship but unable to establish Premier League security.
The financial gap between England’s top divisions continues to widen, creating an environment where immediate returns are more common, but sustained success remains elusive for many promoted sides. For Leicester, avoiding the yo-yo club label will depend on shrewd recruitment, managerial stability, and finding financial sustainability without compromising competitive quality.
Asked if he remained committed to the Foxes, Van Nistelrooy said: “The most important thing is the club and these players, that’s what I would say for now.” He’s overseen the worst losing run in their top flight history, with the East Midlanders struggling to stay afloat and seem destined for Championship betting odds to once again argue about their chances of a top flight return.
“What I want to say is that it’s very disappointing,” he said on the club’s losing run. “If I speak for myself, coming here with the intent to bring the club forward. So far, it didn’t work. I tried different things, different players, different structures, without results. That’s what I can say about how I feel at this moment.”
As the Foxes fight for Premier League survival this season, they’ll be desperate to avoid becoming the latest example of this increasingly familiar football phenomenon.