Cifuentes says it is “very clear” that getting to the Premier League “as soon as possible” is the job he has been brought in to do at the King Power Stadium.
But as a manager whose work at youth level and insistence on promoting young talent brought him to the attention of Leicester’s hierarchy, the Spaniard has spoken of an eagerness to find a balance of short-term and long-term success.
“I’m aware of the expectations and I think that’s the way it should be,” he said.
“I’m also very aware that it’s not going to be easy, so we need to build a foundation and an identity that can sustain that over time.
“I know how tough sometimes it can be after relegation, but I want to bring them this love of the game that they enjoy.”
Cifuentes came in as Ruud van Nistelrooy’s replacement, with the Dutchman in charge as Leicester finished third from bottom and 13 points from safety in the Premier League last season.
The drop consigned the 2021 FA Cup winners to a second season in the Championship in three years.
Leicester’s previous success of 2024, when they went up as second-tier title winners, is not something that Cifuentes will be “taking for granted” in what he calls “a beast” of a league.
“This team did really well under Enzo and a lot of players that are still here, and obviously that sets a reference point,” he said.
“But the reality is that in football every season and every game is different, so we have to approach the season in a very humble way. We cannot expect that it will be a walk in the park and that it will be easy to reach 97 or 100 points.”
What points tally Leicester manage under Cifuentes also depends of what comes from the charges the club faces over allegedly breaching the English Football League’s financial rules when they won the Championship just over a year ago.
That charge, as well as the club’s need to try and balance the books in an effort to avoid profit and sustainability rule breaches, is expected to impact how Cifuentes shapes his squad in the coming weeks.
He would not comment on what business might need to be done during the summer transfer window, but he said he wants to work with a smaller squad and that it would be “trimmed” before the campaign begins.
“What is clear is that I will not speculate much about things that are not 100% clear,” Cifuentes said.
“What is sure is that me, the club, with Jon [director or football Jon Rudkin] and the ownership, we have good conversations about possible scenarios and I’m fully aware of the situation.”
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