Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has axed one of his senior players after the midfielder refused to compromise on his 100-mile commute to training, according to reports.

The Dutchman was reportedly involved in a heated confrontation with former England international Harry Winks after he rejected a request to stay overnight once a week at the Foxes' training ground in north Leicestershire.

According to The Telegraph, Winks, 29, is one of three senior Leicester players who travel more than 90 miles every day to the club's Seagrave training base.

The newspaper claims that the former Tottenham star, who joined Leicester for a fee of £10million in July 2023, has his own private reasons for commuting almost 100 miles to training every day — a journey permitted by ex-Foxes boss Enzo Maresca.

Van Nistelrooy, who was appointed as Leicester's new manager in November following the sack of Steve Cooper, reportedly views the commute as indiscipline and wanted Winks to stay overnight at the training base to aid preparation ahead of the club's Premier League clash with reigning champions Man City on Wednesday.

Leicester's state-of-the-art £100m training base is equipped with hotel accommodation, as well as a nine-hole golf course.

With Van Nistelrooy eager to turn his side's fortunes amid a dismal run of form, he had his Leicester squad train in the afternoon before returning for another session the following morning.

Winks, who has played 25 games across all competitions for Leicester this season and featured off the bench during the Foxes' last three matches before Wednesday, was axed from Van Nistelrooy's squad for the clash at the Etihad.

Sources close to the Telegraph claim Van Nistelrooy's confrontation with Winks was heated, with the Dutchman only recently speaking of his eagerness to instil high standards at the King Power.

Leicester suffered a 2-0 defeat against Pep Guardiola's side on the night, with goals from Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush consigning the club to their 21st loss of the Premier League campaign.

Sitting in 19th and 12 points adrift from safety, Van Nistelrooy has a seismic task on his hands to earn Leicester survival with just eight games to go.

It is not yet known whether Winks will make a return to the Leicester squad for Monday's match against Newcastle.