Foxes of Leicester
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3 Talking points as Leicester are relegated from the EPL

By Will Kennedy

A young Leicester City fan looks dejected after their sides defeat, resulting in their relegation to the Championship during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on May 28, 2023 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
A young Leicester City fan looks dejected after their sides defeat, resulting in their relegation to the Championship during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on May 28, 2023 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester City during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Leicester City at Craven Cottage on May 8, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images) /

The last goodbye

Whilst questions are circulating over who the next manager will be, even more are being asked of the player. Caglar Soyuncu is all-but confirmed to be off to Atletico Madrid, whilst Youri Tielemans will also leave upon the expiry of his contract in June.

Brazilian winger Tete failed to live up to the hype of his debut and will go back to Shakhtar after his loan expires, meanwhile it’s uncertain what the fate of Jonny Evans, Daniel Amartey and Papy Mendy will be. All three are out of contract this season, but could be very useful in the Championship.

Whilst speculation hovers over those out of contract, the real issue is the fate of Leicester’s biggest stars. James Maddison will leave the club in the summer but any deal will be at a cut-price fee – he may go for less than £40m. Timothy Castagne, whilst having a poor season by his standards, is too good to be in the Championship and a swarm of European clubs will be monitoring his situation.

A player the club will be desperate to keep, but who is far too good for the step down, is Harvey Barnes. The winger got his 13th Premier League goal of the season to open the scoring against West Ham with a beautifully composed finish. During his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion, the academy graduate tore up the Championship, and his quality could be a defining factor if the Foxes are to secure promotion next season.

Another player who could be tempted by a move away is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Whilst many tout him for future captaincy at the King Power, his former side, Luton Town, have just secured promotion to the Premier League. You could imagine the Hatters would very much like their former player of the season back in their midfield for the next campaign.

Realistically, there could be a mass exodus of talent over the summer. A squad that was built for Europe is now facing wage cuts and a heavy ego hits. The likes of Daniel Iverson, Patson Daka, Wout Faes, Luke Thomas, and James Justin should all be key next season, now it’s about convincing others to stay.