Which out-of-contract players should Leicester City keep this summer
By Matt Taylor
The summer of 2019 may spell the end of an era at Leicester City, as four of their core title-winning team are out of contract.
If the likes of Wes Morgan, Danny Simpson, Shinji Okazaki and Christian Fuchs all depart when their latest deals expire, only three of City’s famous XI from the 2015/16 season will remain. Although, that number may fall yet further to just two, if there is any substance in what Kasper Schmeichel’s father had to say about his future this week.
Until now, the exodus of these legendary players has been rather slow, with N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater and Riyad Mahrez leaving one season after the other, and for substantial fees. However, this summer could see four of Leicester’s immortal team take the next step in their respective careers.
Through both the introduction of fantastic academy talents and the signing of young prospects over the past three years, this monumental transition has been made slightly easier, as the next generation of Foxes step into the shoes of their predecessors.
In particular, Ben Chilwell rose to the challenge of replacing his Austrian teammate, Fuchs, making the rapid transition from understudy to first name on the team sheet in a matter of months. Likewise, summer-signing James Maddison, has the potential to fill some of the creative hole left by Mahrez, with five goals and four assists to his name so far this season.
Regardless of your opinions on Claude Puel, he has undoubtedly acted bravely, decisively and correctly in giving ample game time to City’s prospects, which can’t be said for any other manager in the league. Specifically, this season eight players aged 22 and under have featured in a staggering 8,373 minutes, almost 4,000 more than any other Premier League side; statistics via BBC . Although his style often frustrates, there are signs that the Blue Army will continue to see improvement from this youthful squad.
However, the question that remains is: Do these aforementioned Leicester City legends still have a role to play at the King Power, or is it time to say goodbye?
This writer will assess what Morgan, Fuchs, Okazaki and Simpson can still offer the club, and who is best suited to step into their shoes, should they move on from Filbert Way.