Obtaining a fee for Youri Tielemans is now vital for Leicester City

After spending millions in the previous summer window with little benefit, all without losing a major player and improving the senior squad immensely. Of course, injuries plus poor tactical choices have put the club in a lacklustre position and may see us struggle to achieve Europa League football.

Youri Tielemans is highly unlikely to sign a new contract now. From what we know, there is an offer on the table, but the Starman has chosen to keep his options open and not sign anything until he knows where he might be going. In essence, he is likely leaving.

If the player does not sign, then his contract expires in June 2023, and having only a year left on his contract, not selling in the summer risks losing him the following summer – for free.

Beyond this unfortunate necessity to sell, the expenditure of the 21/22 season without benefit requires the sale of a major player to allow greater investment in the squad and to prepare for other departures which might be following the example of the Belgian.

Further to this, the King Power side can now be happy to have a ready-made – more energetic – apprentice and a more defensively sound option already in the squad. Both Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Boubakary Soumare can play the Tielemans-role, though neither can possibly perfect, both could alter it to their strengths.

So, Leicester must sell Tielemans so they do not lose him on a free, so they can invest in the squad much more, and because they already have replacements in the squad. Something I have yet to mention is the contractual wages plus add-ons are immense, the savings could easily go to keeping other players.