The next generation of potential Leicester stars have been chosen

Seven Leicester City Development Squad players may make their breakthroughs to the senior team in the Europa League.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers decided to take seven Development Squad players on a European trip. Though they are not merely sightseeing in Ukraine, no: there is a spread of age and specialties so it is clear that the boss has selected these youthful athletes carefully. With a very good chance of some debuts being handed out among the permitted five substitutes.

None of this is to detract from the competition or Thursday night’s Europa League Group stage opponents Zorya Luhansk – whom the Foxes defeated 3-0 on October 22, which does not feel so long ago – but rather to deputise promising prospects in a competitive, prestigious tournament. In which, Leicester have already cruised to progression to the subsequent round of knockout fixtures with two matches to spare.

Possible Leicester City stars of the future

First of all, Rodgers called-up Scottish centre-back Ben Nelson to the senior matchday squad for this game. According to Leicestershire Live, Nelson will become the fifth youngest representative of the east Midlands club in their entire history, if he features.

Irish 19-year-old Shane Flynn joined from Bray Wanderers and plays on the left. He is apparently the only player “not listed on Uefa’s official list”.

21-year-old South African midfielder Khanya Leshabela is a highly-rated young man on Filbert Way. Ethan Fitzhugh – another operator in the middle – is aged-18; he along with Leshabela were on the bench versus Braga. Forward-thinking midfield man and captain of the Under-23s Callum Wright, 20, is also included.

Sidnei Tavares, 19, is another; the Portuguese is fancied as a future star and plays similarly to Wright, from what I have seen. Possibly wider on the pitch occasionally. Finally, Tyrese Shade, 20, is a right-winger who hails from St. Kitts & Nevis.