Leicester target three signings and could let first-teamers leave

Leicester are targeting at least three new signings in summer with boss Brendan Rodgers insisting the club cannot be ‘frightened’ to let first-team stars leave after struggling this season

  • Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is seeking a ‘healthy shake-up’ this summer 
  • The Foxes are tenth in the Premier League, 12 points off seventh-place West Ham
  • They could let Youri Tielemans leave, while Harvey Barnes is attracting interest
  • Leicester want to sign a centre-back, midfielder and an attacker in the summer

Leicester are targeting at least three new players this summer and may be willing to let current first-teamers leave as part of the ‘healthy shake-up’ sought by boss Brendan Rodgers.

The Foxes are still in contention to win the first European trophy in their history and face PSV Eindhoven over two legs in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals later this month, with the winner taking on either Norwegians Bodo Glimt or Jose Mourinho’s Roma for a place in the Final.

Yet for a variety of reasons, Rodgers’ men have struggled to reach the standards of the previous two campaigns, when they twice finished fifth in the Premier League and also won the FA Cup last year. 

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers (left) wants a ‘healthy shake-up’ as the club targets three signings this summer

Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Manchester United, Leicester are 12 points behind West Ham in seventh, meaning their best route back to Europe is to win the Conference League and earn a spot in the Europa League as a result.

An injury list that has left – at different times – Jamie Vardy, Jonny Evans, Wesley Fofana, Wilfred Ndidi, James Justin, Timothy Castagne and Ricardo Pereira on the sidelines has hampered Leicester’s ambitions, while none of last summer’s signings have made a decisive impact on the starting XI.

It is this issue which Leicester are keen to rectify, with the club targeting a centre-back, a dynamic central midfielder and a right-sided attacker who can instantly improve the team, rather than simply providing back-up for current first-choice players.

The Foxes are willing to let current first-teamers, such as Youri Tielemans (above), leave 

After the low point of Leicester’s season, the 4-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup in February, Rodgers said: ‘Nine of the 11 players who started at Forest were here when I joined. 

‘For the squad to evolve and become better you need to add better players. The club have been super-supportive since I’ve been here.

‘Money will always talk and Leicester have always worked that side of the market (player sales) very well. Players will improve and then want to move on, and when that happens the club will maximise what they can get.

Leicester’s low point of the season so far came in a 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest

‘We can never be frightened to do that. If a player is ready to move on, you can get maximum value and then reintroduce hunger and desire from another player, hopefully you benefit from that.’

Like those of all clubs, Leicester’s finances took a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, and any arrivals are likely to be offset by departures. 

Last summer, Leicester broke their customary habit of selling a key player but it would be a surprise to see them repeat that policy this year. 

The club committed close to £100m on their new training ground and are also involved in redeveloping the area around the King Power Stadium, whose capacity they hope to increase to about 40,000. 

The East Midlands club are involved in redeveloping the area around the King Power Stadium


Jamie Vardy (left) and Kasper Schmeichel (right) are out of contract in summer 2023

Vardy and Kasper Schmeichel, the club’s top earners, are also out of contract in summer 2023. Discussions about a new deal have yet to begin with Vardy while Schmeichel left the door open on his future in an interview with Sportsmail earlier this year.

With only 12 months remaining on his deal, Youri Tielemans is an obvious candidate to depart while winger Harvey Barnes continues to be monitored by several top clubs and Ndidi is another who has drawn interest.

Tielemans’ situation is complex, however: would a potential buyer risk spending £40-50million when they could sign the midfielder for free 12 months later? 

The return from injury of Fofana, and the search for a new centre-back, indicate that Caglar Soyuncu’s days may be numbered, while it is difficult to see a way back for Ayoze Perez, who has started only eight games this term. 

Like Tielemans, both Perez and Soyuncu have only 12 months remaining on their deals.




Share this article

Source: Read Full Article