AdminLeicester City supporters will all have their own view on what players should stay and who should leave. It’s no surprise that most will have more on one list than the other.
Relegation from the Championship means City will play in the third tier of English football for just the second time. Two years after being in the Premier League, the club have returned to their own rock bottom.
Russell Martin has been given the keys to kickstart the Foxes’ revival and there is plenty of work to do to reshape the squad. Players have already said goodbye after their contracts expired but more are guaranteed to follow them.
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So, with the pre-season fixture list starting a week today, we take a look at the squad and work out just how much business the Foxes need to tick off. You can have your say too on which players should stay and who must go – either on loan or for good by using our tool below…
GOALKEEPERS
Jakub Stolarczyk was City’s number one goalkeeper last season in the Championship and is currently the best option. He was linked with a return to Poland and Martin’s preference of having a ball-player between the sticks could lead to him being replaced. If they do sign a goalkeeper, he isn’t going to want to be a number two.
Fran Vieites came in under Marti Cifuentes last summer but didn’t play a single minute. When he arrived on the back of featuring for Real Betis in the Conference League, you wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking he should have been given a shot – especially when City were leaking goals. He’ll want a move to get some minutes.
Asmir Begovic is technically no longer on the books at the King Power Stadium after his contract expired. However, he still has City in his Instagram biography and the last word was that he was in talks. At the age of 39, if he’s happy with being second or third choice, there’s no harm keeping him.
Stevie Bausor has signed a contract extension at the club and as a 21-year-old, will be eager to get some senior football under his belt. Being City’s number one isn’t impossible but it is unlikely this season so a season in League Two would be the best option for him.
DEFENDERS
Wout Faes faces a tough task at reviving his Leicester career. His four year spell in England has been difficult and many would have hoped his exit to AS Monaco in January would have been the end. However, they opted against activating the purchase option and City must find another suitor. Sell.
Caleb Okoli is another player that probably should depart the club. His arrival from Atalanta in 2024 came with excitement about his potential but there has been little improvement. One of the weaknesses in his game is on the ball and that won’t be good enough for the new manager. Interest in Italy is there.
Ben Nelson could be the best defender in League One if he stayed at Leicester this summer. He showed what he’s made off last season and whilst his performances did dip towards the end, he is still only 22. If the club can get a good fee for him then you can’t complain but he would be instrumental in Martin’s defence if he remained.
Luke Thomas is a hard one. Having an academy lad in the team with 149 first-team appearances is class and he is one of the players that you can never question if they actually care. However, he was bad at times last season and the defensive work is hard to watch. He also signed a new contract last season. I’d keep him but wouldn’t snub any offers if they came in.
Harry Souttar is arguably Leicester’s best defender. If no club comes in for him, then he’s a guaranteed starter if kept fit. When he came back from injury last season, he looked levels above his teammates and his displays at the World Cup have been impressive. The issue is that Championship clubs will fancy him and taking a gamble on him with a track record of injuries may be worth taking.
Woyo Coulibaly hasn’t got a future at the club. There actually hasn’t been any sighting of the full-back for some time. He was part of the squad during pre-season last term before leaving for Sassuolo. His move hasn’t worked and it’s difficult to see him returning as a League One player.
Victor Kristiansen should follow Coulibaly out the exit door. Similar to many players on this list, the left-back joined City as a Premier League team and has done very little to help stop the downfall. A loan bid has already been rejected by Panathinaikos but hopefully more interest comes.
Jannik Vestergaard ticks the boxes that Martin requires from his centre-backs. Leicester fans know how good he can be on the ball and at League One, he should have no issues at this level. But the Dane has suffered three relegations and with one year left on his contract, it would make sense to let him go.
Bade Aluko is the best right-back option at the club and will be doing everything he can to be the first player on the team sheet. He’s been in and around the first team for over a year now but didn’t feature as much as he should have last term. The perfect Ricardo Pereira replacement.
Kevon Gray falls into the bracket of players who are probably too good for academy football now. After making his debut at Blackburn in May, the centre-back is heavily involved in pre-season training and will surely get a chance in friendlies. However, the arrival of senior defenders may mean a temporary switch will be beneficial.
Tom Wilson-Brown started his loan with Swindon Town fairly well last term but injuries forced him to miss a large chunk of the season. Only 21, another loan move that includes consistent starts throughout is the best outcome.
Jayden Joseph returns from his spell at Tranmere Rovers high on confidence. He helped keep the club in the EFL and with City in the third tier, will personally fancy himself at adapting to the level. He could be good competition for Aluko at right-back, with his versatility to play further forward also worth considering.
MIDFIELDERS
Hamza Choudhury has been front and centre of everything the club has put out in the first week of pre-season and you can understand why. He’s one of the most experienced players and is a busy player. But should he be kept if reports of Birmingham City’s interest are accurate? At the right price, yeah, but I’m also not against him being a vital player.
Oliver Skipp wants to leave Leicester, according to reports, to revive his career following two relegations in two seasons. Middlesbrough are keen but have been put off by City’s £15m price tag. If they drop that and get around £8m for the midfielder, happy days. Question marks over his preferred role make his case hard to argue.
Harry Winks is the most obvious player on this list. Sell. He can be outstanding and would no doubt be unplayable in League One but the off-pitch issues can’t be ignored.
Louis Page has done enough already to warrant being one of Martin’s star players. He came into the side last term and got up to speed to senior football quickly. Like Aluko, he should have played more often, without a doubt. A strong No.8 and versatile No.10, he is the future of the club.
Sammy Braybrooke should finally get the opportunity to be the one pulling the strings for Leicester. Nearly four years after making his first-team debut, the academy star is ready for his chance in the team. He has received plaudits for his loans at Newport and Chesterfield. It’s time for him to show what he can do.
Michael Golding needs a loan. After signing from Chelsea in 2024, he’s just been stuck in the Under-21s and only seems to appear in pre-season. He’s still only 20 and people forget that he was highly-rated at Stamford Bridge, so a chance to gain some experience away from LE2 would be fair.
Will Alves returns from Huddersfield in a similar boat to Braybrooke. He’s had excitement and potential around his name for years but the club’s spiral down to League One is an opportunity that, if he wants to become a regular, he can’t avoid to get wrong. Such a big talent and has the backing from the fanbase.
ATTACKERS
Bobby De Cordova-Reid could be a secret weapon in League One. He turns 34 in February and has just one year left on his current contract, so his availability in the third tier could be key. I’d keep him and use him throughout.
Stephy Mavididi is another difficult one. His first season at the King Power was excellent and he was a fan favourite. Confidence is a big thing in his game and he’s been lacking that for more than 18 months. Will he want to play in League One? I wouldn’t be surprised if a Championship team came in for him but I think right-backs would have nightmares about him in the third tier.
Abdul Fatawu is an obvious sell. The Ghana international is City’s most-valuable asset and talks of a £20m-£30m have been touted already. On his day, he is unstoppable and he is better than League One. His sale needs to happen sooner rather than later so they can use the funds on arrivals.
Silko Thomas was admired by Cifuentes but his minutes were hard to come by after the Spaniard’s dismissal. In League One, he’s probably at his level and he will be desperate to get a good shot. He may just be a squad player but there’s definitely scope for him to start at Notts County.
Jake Evans stays, but not as the number one striker. He’s still only 17 and has only played 22 first-team games. He showed encouraging signs at Northampton last season and can play out wide. If Leicester can bring an experienced No.9 to work alongside Evans then in 12 months time, he will be in a much better spot.
Nathaniel Opoku is probably a player that City would be open to selling. After a semi-decent loan spell at Newport County, the 24-year-old is back at Seagrave but it’s difficult to imagine him being part of the squad. His contract expires in 2027 so he’s likely to depart in 12 months anyway.
Jeremy Monga is going to Manchester City but technically is still a City player. Receiving around £10m for a 16-year-old is impressive business for the club. Everyone wishes him the best at Man City.
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