Leicester Transfer DealSheet: Ndidi in limbo; Fatawu latest; Maresca’s plans are on hold

The departure of manager Enzo Maresca to Chelsea has thrown Leicester City’s summer transfer plans into turmoil.

Planning meetings have already taken place to determine how Leicester will prepare for a challenging first season in the Premier League, where Leicester face a battle for survival.

Maresca had discussed the additions he felt were necessary with head of recruitment Martyn Glover. He also discussed what kind of budget he might have with director of football Jon Rudkin.

Those plans will largely be on hold now until his replacement comes in and expresses his own views on how he wants the team to be formed. This may give renewed hope to some players who felt like they were on the way out, while others may be worried about what the future holds.

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What positions are they looking at this summer?

Almost every position on the team is set to undergo another summer refresh. Kelechi Iheanacho, Marc Albrighton and Dennis Praet are all set to leave for free, while the loans of Yunus Akgun and Callum Doyle have ended.

Therefore, the priorities will be to bring in at least one winger, a no. 8 and a left back. That was certainly the case under Maresca, but the new manager may feel he needs to strengthen in other areas as a priority.

Some areas of the team that need strengthening to give the team every chance of survival. That may depend on the departures, as Leicester must ensure they do not face a second breach of profit and sustainability rules.

What players are they looking at?

Before leaving the club, Maresca suggested that it could be a difficult window in terms of available finances, but that departing players must be replaced.

Glover will have already drawn up lists for Maresca of possible targets, but it now seems unlikely that he will continue his previous interest in Stefano Sensiespecially now that Maresca is gone.

Likewise, it remains to be seen whether of Callum Doyle the loan could become a permanent deal, but the permanent signing of the winger Abdul Fatawu is seen as a priority.

There has been the usual speculation, often coming from a Leicester scout known to have watched certain players, and so far this summer they have been linked with Athletic Bilbao winger Alex Berenguer, Elfsborg midfielder Michael Baidoo and winger Huddersfield Town Sorba Thomas.

Ultimately, though, incoming transfer activity may be on hold until the new manager is in and some players have left.

Permanent signing of Abdul Fatawu is a priority (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

What moves have they already made?

They have moved to offer new contracts to Jannik Vestergaard and Jamie Vardy and will also hold talks with Wilfred Ndidi. All three were out of contract this summer, but had impressed Maresca. Whether his departure now affects the decisions of those players, time will tell, especially in the case of Ndidi.

Maresca liked the Nigerian’s physicality as an attacking eight and Ndidi was one of the players who changed his mind about leaving the club last summer as he enjoyed Maresca’s new style, but he will not be a cheap option to re-sign regarding the salary. , so both sides will have something to think about.

Fatawu’s move from Sporting CP is expected to be permanent for a fee of £14m, which could prove to be a bargain, but they are still currently operating under an EFL registration embargo until they are confirm as a Premier League club on June 6.

Who will make the key decisions this summer?

Whoever is the new manager will make the final decisions on transfers. The areas of the team that Maresca had identified as needing strengthening would have already been passed on to Glover, who found Fatawu for Maresca last summer when he wanted a left-back. Glover and his scouts will be working for several weeks to provide options.

Now they know what division they’re in next season, they’ll have drawn up a list of priorities — option 1, 2 and 3 — and then it’s up to Rudkin to make those offers.

This is not Rudkin’s only involvement in the process, as he will also have to communicate to the next manager and Glover how big the budget will be and how much they will need to generate in sales to be reinvested.

Who will they be looking to sell?

The promotion has certainly helped them in their efforts to return to PSR compliance, but there is an acknowledgment that their problems are not over and they will have to deal with it to strengthen the squad.

They would prefer not to sell the key asset they have, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but that depends on whether they can move others on.

Dewsbury-Hall, who was the subject of a £20m bid rejected from Brighton and Hove Albion in January, is Leicester’s prize asset and as a homegrown player his sale would be pure profit as there is no sale clause to a previous club.

Player of the Year and Player of the Year Dewsbury-Hall has said he does not want to leave the club he grew up with and now plays for, and Leicester could decide his value can rise if he has an impressive season.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is Leicester’s most prized playing material (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Leicester will be more actively trying to sell others. Harry Souttar didn’t feature at all last season and turned down possible moves. Victor Kristiansen and Luke Thomas were loaned out because Maresca didn’t play conventional full-backs, but the new manager might.

Goaltenders Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen could also be moved. Then there is the curious case of Boubakary Soumare who went on loan to Sevilla after relegation because he did not want to play in the Championship. He may have been given a second chance in the Premier League because he looked like a player who could fit into Maresca’s system as a deep-lying midfielder, but the manager’s departure may mean Soumare is definitely sold now.

The problem is even a club of Sevilla’s stature and success struggle to match the wages on offer at Premier League clubs, and Soumare is still under contract with Leicester until 2026.

There has been interest in Patson Daka in the past – he almost joined Bournemouth on transfer deadline day last summer – and he could be another player Leicester could tap into if they wish, but again the next manager will have to take that decision.

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Which players’ contracts expire? Who is expected to renew?

Six players saw their contracts expire – Vardy, Vestergaard, Iheanacho, Ndidi, Albrighton and Praet.

Albrighton almost admitted he was leaving, Praet also stated in an interview, while Iheanacho appeared to say goodbye wearing a shirt as they celebrated the league title after the final game of the season that read: “We . I have history. When I’m gone, you’re going to miss me.”

Contract talks have taken place with Vardy and Vestergaard and they are expected to stay, but with Maresca gone, Ndidi appears to be left in limbo.

What could happen first?

As soon as the club is confirmed as a Premier League club on June 6 at the Premier League AGM, there could be news of new contracts and Leicester’s release list should be published, but it looks like most of the work will have to to wait for the following. administrator.

What is their PSR position?

It is the second summer in a row where more high earners have been able to leave on free transfers. When Albrighton, Iheanacho and Praet are confirmed they will take that total into double figures, allaying PSR’s concerns as they significantly cut their wage bill, which in the latest accounts for the 2022-23 season was 116 per cent of revenue .

However, they are still awaiting news of a Premier League charge hearing date for that season, with a points deduction expected, and it remains unclear how close they are to breaching again for last season in the Championship.

Chelsea’s compensation for Maresca and his staff will be included in the accounts for that season, which will help, but there may need to be players sold before the end of June to remove the threat of a second charge.

Jamie Vardy is in talks but Marc Albrighton is likely to leave (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

What must they do before June 30?

They moved their annual accounting date to the end of June to give them some wiggle room in terms of meeting the PSR. This is how James Maddison’s move to Tottenham could be included in the 2022-2023 accounts. Harvey Barnes deal with Newcastle United will be included in the next accounts which will help the PSR, but they will still need to make some cuts before the end of June to comply with the EFL PSR regulations for this season or they could face an EFL Fee.

That means they will likely have to move players before they can start recruiting new signings.

What kind of budget do they have?

Before players are traded, there won’t be much of a budget in this window. Chief executive Susan Whelan has warned that the cost of relegation will be felt for several years and Leicester will surely be close to breaching again for their Championship season if they cannot turn things around. Now it’s back to their old model of selling an asset to reinvest, which has worked well for them in the past.

From June 1, restrictions and concerns may relax a bit, but they are unlikely to spend heavily this summer.

What is the manager’s priority?

To get a new manager is the priority now. Over the past 15 years, there has not been a common theme in philosophy about the type of manager they hire. They went from Nigel Pearson, to Paulo Sousa, to Sven-Goran Eriksson, back to Pearson, then to Claudio Ranieri, back to Pearson’s former assistant Craig Shakespeare, then the continental approach of Claude Puel to the high-octane style of Brendan Rodgers. before Maresca’s more methodical and tactical approach.

It’s an eclectic mix of managers, but it’s had some success. Now, however, they seem determined to continue following the path Maresca set out with his possession-based style and expect the next manager to have a similar philosophy rather than another change of direction.

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(Top image: Wilfred Ndidi by Marc Atkins via Getty Images)