Despite the Leicester City transfer window closing on September 1 as the club stumbled to a clumsy defeat at home to Manchester United, rumours persisted around Caglar Soyuncu and his immediate future at the King Power Stadium. This was because the Turkish market was still open, but despite the defender seemingly close to returning to his native shores, a transfer never materialised.
Soyuncu now faces an uncertain spell in the East Midlands, with the arrival of Wout Faes pushing him down the pecking order that he temporarily climbed after the departure of Wesley Fofana to Chelsea. The Turkish player’s last appearance for the Foxes was in the underwhelming Carabao Cup victory against Stockport, but one has to look as far back May 1 for a runout in the Premier League in defeat away at Tottenham.
Out of contract in the summer, and seemingly behind even Jannik Vestergaard in the defensive hierarchy, Soyuncu’s days as a Leicester City player appear to be numbered, especially given Brendan Rodgers’ admission that the defender has been nowhere near the level required. However, reports from the Leicester Mercury suggest that, due to the lack of incomings, Rodgers is prepared to welcome players who were surplus to requirements back into the first team fold.
This might have come as a surprise to Soyuncu, but he must understand that a reintegration doesn’t just happen overnight, and that it will take hard work, determination and a positive attitude if he is ever to recapture the form that made him so loved by City’s fans in that 19/20 season – the first of the two fifth placed finishes. With the No. 4 and his struggles, it has always been more than just his on pitch performances, and a lot of commitment and motivation needs to be shown on both sides for this to work.
If Rodgers really thought that Soyuncu was likely to remain a Foxes player at the end of the Turkish transfer window, the chances are that he would have avoided publicly calling out his player. Alternatively, it could have been a deliberate call to arms for Soyuncu to do what he feels necessary on the training pitch to prove to his manager that he is worthy of a starting spot, after all, a full season as an outcast is going to do him no favours when it comes to his options for the 2023/24 season. Now click below to view the last page, thank you.
It’s no secret just how good a player he can be, but it’s also clear that there’s a relationship between he and the manager or between he and his teammates that needs to be rebuilt over time. It will be a shame for all parties if Soyuncu was to depart on a free at the end of his contract; for the player who will feel he’s spurned his chance to build a career at the top level, for the club who will not receive a fee for a proven quality defender, and for the manager who must take some culpability for that scenario transpiring.
Many City fans will remember how they yearned for a back three system of Jonny Evans, Soyuncu and Fofana, with James Justin and Timothy Castagne as wing-backs, and obviously that is now impossible. The arrival of Faes and the lack of wingers at the manager’s disposal will likely see the tactical emphasis shift back to a more conventional back four system with just two central defenders.
This provides another obstacle to Soyuncu regaining a starting berth, as rebuilding any relationship relies on a solid foundation of trust – and perhaps Rodgers might not feel he can trust him with the responsibility that playing a four-back system yields. It remains to be seen whether the former fan favourite will be able to capture the hearts and minds of the Foxes faithful once more, but what’s certain is that it will take a lot longer to build that security and assuredness the second time around.