Leicester City’s new signing sends a sad message as £14m move comes to a close

As he officially completes his move to Leicester City, Abdul Fatawu bemoans the lack of opportunities offered by former side Sporting CP.

The Ghana international became a permanent Foxes player from today, July 1, following his loan spell in the 2023/24 campaign. He made 43 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven and assisting 13, before the club’s promotion triggered the £14.4m mandatory buyout clause inserted into his deal.

His initial move to England came a year after joining Portuguese champions Sporting CP, where he was forced to wait for his shot at senior football. This is because he signed as a minor player in April 2022, so with the 2021/22 campaign underway, he could not be registered mid-season.

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Although, when he was eventually made available for selection by Ruben Amorim, the 20-year-old was only selected 12 times and just one of those as part of the starting XI.

“Sometimes I think it wasn’t that bad in that experience. It happened that way because sometimes the opportunity wasn’t there,” Fatawu told 3news via the Record as he reflected on his time in Lisbon and his latest transfer. “But when I had those opportunities, I had more confidence and that made everything easier.”

That’s why when it came to the winger’s year on loan at the King Power Stadium, where selection problems were a thing of the past, he remembers working with Enzo Maresca much better.

“I think it had everything to do with the confidence he gave me on the pitch, the way he guided me throughout the championship and everything else,” he said of the Italian.

Of course, he won’t get the chance to work with his former manager again next season, so he’ll need to bond with up-and-coming Steve Cooper as pre-season gets under way in the East Midlands.

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