Enzo Maresca has dashed hopes for Leicester City amid the search for their next manager

Defender Harry Souttar hopes the appointment of a new manager at Leicester City means he will no longer need to look for a new club this summer.

At one point, a summer exit seemed inevitable for the Aussie as he fell out of favor with Enzo Maresca. But now Maresca has moved to Chelsea, Souttar could have a new opportunity at the King Power Stadium.

The 25-year-old admits his future is still up in the air. However, he hopes to get the chance to impress Maresca’s replacement – whoever that may be.

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“It would be very clear if (Maresca) were still there, my situation; to try to leave the club and get more minutes because I’ve missed a lot of football,” Souttar told ESPN. “To still be selected for the national team, I know I have to play football.

“I just have to wait and see what the club does and who comes in and then try to impress the new manager that comes in. When I come back for pre-season, we’ll probably settle down in a couple of weeks. and chat and see where we are. I think this is the best thing to do.

“Obviously, we don’t have a manager yet. So I don’t know and can’t comment or speculate who it will be. But I just have to give it my best chance to try and impress him and the staff that’s coming in as well. We’ll just go from there.”

Souttar managed just four appearances for City last season as Maresca preferred Wout Faes, Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady and Ben Nelson at the heart of his defence. For the international boss of the central defender, the situation was not ideal.

Socceroos manager Graham Arnold is keen for the player to get regular game time. He continued to select Souttar despite his lack of club minutes but admitted earlier this week that Maresca’s departure added a new layer of uncertainty to the situation.

“I know I don’t play club football and normally that coincides with not playing for your national team,” Souttar added. “I must thank Arnold very much for the trust he has placed in me; playing when I had no game minutes.

“I’ve always thought that everything I do is the best thing I do when I put on that shirt for the nation – and for (Arnold) as well because I know how much faith he has in me, so I try to repay All I want to do is play, so it was a frustrating time.

“I know it’s a massive year coming up for me. I’ll be 26 in October and I know I have to play football.”

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