Shinji Okazaki to stay at Leicester City
Shinji Okazaki will not be leaving Leicester City in January despite being linked with a move away from the club.
It means that the Japan international will be seeing out his contract at the King Power Stadium before bidding farewell this summer.
He has only started four games this season in all competitions, the obvious reason behind that obviously being the age factor and the physical limitations that come with it.
However, he does guarantee unmatched levels of effort for all of the 90 minutes, and that alone might be a reason why teams are after him.
He is one of those players who won’t score or assist much, but he does hold a tactical value that is second to absolutely no one. Once you’ve passed your instructions on to him, you’d know that he’d immediately make himself felt in the park – may that be through his defensive duties or the offensive ones.
There were a number of clubs interested in signing him for a fee in the region of £5 million, which would have represented a really good deal for someone of his age. It is therefore a bit surprising that Claude Puel didn’t do more on his part to try and sell him.
Next. Harry Maguire was back to his absolute best at Anfield. dark
Okazaki, as he has himself stated, is now going to focus on fighting for a place in the XI for as long as he is here – and we trust him. Let us hope he can find that 2015/16 touch for a brief while to help Leicester get a European place.