Leicester City have been extremely active so far this transfer window, bringing in three new players. However the size of the squad is starting to swell and the Foxes wage bill is starting to mount up. Furthermore Claude Puel and Jon Rudin will be aware that some of those players are surplus to requirements and taking up unnecessary wages out of their wage budget.
In order to meet the Financial Fair Play rules Premier League clubs are only allowed to increase their wage bill by £7 million each season. However clubs can exceed this cap through commercial income, player trading and match day income. This is explained in more detail on the financial fair play website.
Depending on the current wage bill and the variance from the clubs incomes and out goings will depend what they have to spend on players and wages. Players surplus to requirements are therefore taking up wages that could be spent better elsewhere.
Leicester City may be a financially well off club due to their billionaire owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha however they still need to operate within the FFP rules. Therefore to do so, it does not make financial sense to keep players on their books that are not needed.
Taking all of that into account, which players are at risk of being moved on from the King Power owned club.
First off let’s take a look at the players most likely to stay:
- Kasper Schmeichel – 1st choice goalkeeper.
- Harry Maguire – 1st choice centre back for Leicester and England.
- Wes Morgan – club captain, would not expect to be first choice centre back this season after the arrival of Jonny Evans but an adequate back up.
- Danny Simpson – 2nd choice right back at the club with the arrival of Ricardo Pereira.
- Ben Chilwell – 1st choice left back at the club, however rumours of an incoming left back.
- Wilfred N’didi – 1st choice central midfielder.
- Hamza Choudhury – back up 1st team player but made his debut last season under Claude Puel and expected to be part of the 1st team squad.
- Adrien Silva – has not completely settled into the team yet, but expected to be a key player next season after his difficulties last season.
- Marc Albrighton – the versatile, hard-working winger will play a key part again next season.
- Fousenni Diabate – signed in January last season and impressed in parts. Claude Puel expects him to get better too.
- Demarari Gray – despite rumours of a transfer, with Riyad Mahrez expected to leave it would seem unlikely he would also leave. If still at the club, expected to kick on further next season.
- Jamie Vardy – club legend will be the main man for Leicester next season, although there were rumours Atletico Madrid were interested in him.
- Kelechi Iheanacho – after a tough start to the season for the Nigerian, he had a strong end of the season and is expected to kick on further next season.
That leaves 13 players safe, plus the 3 new additions of Ricardo Pereira, Jonny Evans and James Maddison. That leaves us with 14 players (after the already departed, Ben Hamer, Robert Huth and Aleksander Dragovic) uncertain of their Leicester careers.
Goalkeepers
With the Foxes number one Kasper Schmeichel guaranteed of his starting place if fit and the departure of Ben Hamer, it leaves just Eldin Jakupovic as the only recognised senior goalkeeper in the squad that has his future in the balance.
Much will depend on his acceptance of playing second fiddle to the Danish goalkeeper. He is a reliable back up to Schmeichel and throughout most of his career he has been second choice. The 33-year-old only made 2 Premier League appearances last season – 38 appearances at his previous club Hull City over 5 seasons so Jakupovic is certainly no stranger to being on the bench.
VERDIT – KEEP
Defenders
Leicester have brought in two defenders this transfer window so far and there are rumours they are looking to bring more in – Leaving a few of the defenders in the Foxes squad certain of their own futures at the club.
Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Wes Morgan will be the spine of the squad at Centre Back with possible other incoming in this department. Leicester also have some good youth players coming through that Claude Puel may look to integrate into the squad this season. Sam Hughes and Elliot Moore will certainly be hoping that will be the case as they look to break into the former Premier League champions squad. Claude Puel certainly is willing to give youth a chance and Leicester have some exciting talents coming through their ranks.
Yohan Beanlouane has expressed his unhappiness at Leicester after failing to break through into the Leicester first XI under 3 managers, making only 16 appearances since 2015. The 31-year-old will be keen to move on and he is not expected to be part of Claude Puel’s plans next season.
VERDIT – SELL
Christian Fuchs has been a key player for Leicester since he joined in 2015 – Making 93 appearances. He has become a fans favourite however last season he lost his left back spot to Ben Chilwell after Claude Puel came in. The 32-year-old has one year left on his contract and was not expected to be leaving the King Power Stadium until his contract had run out, however with rumours of an incoming left back his position has come under threat.
VERDIT – KEEP
Midfielders
The only arrival so far in midfield is the exciting 21-year-old James Maddison from Norwich. As a central attacking midfielder that provides goals and assists he will certainly be a player that will get the fans excited to see him in action. There also strong rumours of Riyad Mahrez leaving the club to join Man City as well initial interest in Demarai Gray from Lazio. Leicester themselves have been linked with central midfielders and wide men.
The midfield department is the most overloaded area of the squad, specifically the central midfield area. With rumours of an £11 million bid going in for Stefano Stuaro going in from Leicester, it would suggest that there will be some outgoings in this area of the pitch this summer.
Wilfred N’didi, Adrien Silva and Hamza Choudhury look certain to still be part of the squad next season leaving a possible 2, maybe 3 positions available in the squad for central midfielders. With Vicente Iborra, Daniel Amartey, Andy King, Matty James and on loan Nampalys Mendy all options in that area for Claude Puel.
Vicente Iborra was signed by Leicester last season with Craig Shakespeare manager at the time. The former Sevilla captain made 19 appearances for the Foxes last season and at times looked assured and a calming influence on the ball however he is not be most mobile midfielder we have and with Claude Puel seemingly targeting a youthful approach he may be looking for someone with the ability to get up and down the pitch better. This said, his leadership skills and quality on the ball can be useful for the younger players on the pitch to learn from.
VERDIT – KEEP
Daniel Amartey since signing in January 2016 has made 36 appearances for the Foxes – Aged 23, the Ghanaian international has not found his feet at Leicester, perhaps his versatility plays against him being able to nail down a position in the first XI. For Leicester he has played central midfield and at right back, but for Ghana he prominently plays as centre back. Even though he is only 23 and can still develop it does not seem this will happen for him at Leicester, for his own career he needs game time with a loan a good option for him however Leicester may want to recoup some of the money they paid out on him.
VERDIT – SELL
Andy King is Mr. Leicester City. Joining Leicester in 2006 from the Chelsea youth team he has gone on to make 329 appearances for the club. Winning the league title in League one, Championship and the Premier League with Leicester. It will be sad day for everyone involved should Andy King leave the club, however it seems Leicester may have outgrown him as a player and if he was to be part of the squad next season he would only be a bit part player. He will always give his all but maybe it is time to move on for him and Leicester City.
VERDIT – SELL
Matty James was an instrumental part of the first XI that got Leicester promoted to the Premier League in 2013/14 and a key player in the run in during the great escape until he ruptured his anterior ligaments. Since then James has been plagued by injuries and niggles making only 14 appearances since his injury in May 2015. For the sake of his career it may be best to kick-start it at another club that is able to give him more game time and manage his injuries.
VERDIT – SELL
Nampalys Mendy joined the Foxes in 2016 after winning the Premier League and the sale of N’golo Kante. Unfair to Mendy he was dubbed as the replacement to Kante and had huge pressure on his shoulders to replace him. Furthermore their playing styles are different but had a similar stature and so the comparisons were made. Mendy suffered an ankle injury on his league debut at home against Arsenal and since he has only made 4 appearances for the club since. Sent on loan last season to former club Nice he made 16 appearances for them and there will be questions whether Claude Puel will be keen to work with him again after Puel managed Mendy when he was at Nice.
VERDIT – KEEP
Attackers
Another overloaded area of the squad with 11 players vying for 4 positions if you include the wingers and attacking midfielder playing behind the lone striker. Jamie Vardy being the first name on the team sheet, new signing James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho covering the second striker – attacking midfielder role with Diabate, Albrighton and Gray covering the 2 winger positions with Riyad Mahrez expected to leave.
Leaving us with decisions to make on Islam Slimani, Shinji Okazaki, Leonardo Ulloa, Ahmed Musa and Bartosz Kapustka. Rumours of incoming wingers suggest that there will be more incoming’s in these areas too.
Islam Slimani is Leicester City’s record buy at £28 million in 2016. The 30-year-old striker is most know for his power and strength in the air rather than his pace and quick feet. With 8 goals in 35 appearances for the Foxes (majority not starts either) its hard to rule him out as an unsuccessful signing but after being sent out on loan in January to Newcastle it would suggest his Leicester City career is over.
VERDIT – SELL
Shinji Okazaki is a work horse and able to play in the number 9 role whilst playing a key role at a number 10 during the Premier League title season. However at 32 years old and performances dipping it remains to be seen whether he will be part of Claude Puels plans this season. With James Maddison signed in his number 10 role and Kelechi Iheanacho performing well at the end of the season it would be deemed unlikely he will be a key player for the Foxes next season. That being said, he can still be an important squad player and much will depend on his happiness to play that role for the club.
VERDIT – KEEP
Leonardo Ulloa has had an up and down career at Leicester with Foxes fans forever grateful for the goals he scored in the great escape season, as well as some vital goals in the title-winning season. However he made it known he was unhappy when he wasn’t getting game time under Claudio Ranieri in his 2nd season in charger and not much has changed under 2 managers after. He spent the 2nd half of the season on loan at Brighton last season and it seems his time is up at the King Power Stadium.
VERDIT – SELL
Bartosz Kapustka arrived at Leicester City in 2016 but has only made 2 FA Cup appearances for the club since his £7.5 million move from Cracovia. He spent last season on loan at SC Freiburg making 9 appearances and at 21 years old it is unsure where his future lies. The polish attacking midfielder has 14 international caps to his name and arrived with some promise after a good Euro 2016 tournament with Poland. For his development he may be loaned out again next season and much will depend on Claude Puel’s plans for him.
VERDIT – KEEP
Ahmed Musa arrived for a then club record fee of £16.6 million from Russian side CSKA Moscow. The Nigerian is able to play as a striker or as a left winger but has failed to make much of an impact in either position. Musa made 21 appearances in 2016 with 2 goals and 5 assists despite his rapid pace it seems he was too lightweight and easily knocked off the ball. He was sent back on loan to CSKA Moscow in January last season with his Leicester career seemingly over as he looks for another club.
VERDIT – SELL
Conclusion
Leicester have plenty of options to choose from however many of them do not seem to fit the style Puel wants to play or they do not have the quality from the Foxes to improve as a team. Therefore it seems Jon Rudkin has a lot of work to do to move on some of these players as well as bringing in new talent, so far so good Mr.Rudkin but now its time to move on the deadwood.
Next: Three reasons why Leicester City must sign Jack Wilshere