Leicester City got their Championship season off to a flying start but may need to reduce their wage bill in a bid to relieve financial pressure
HIGHLIGHTS
- Leicester City may need to sell some of their star players to address financial concerns before the transfer window closes.
- Jannik Vestergaard’s position in the team may be uncertain as other defenders like Wout Faes and Callum Doyle perform well.
- Wilfried Ndidi’s high wage and declining form could make him an attractive option for other Premier League teams while Leicester can cash in on him.
Leicester City’s season got off to the best possible start at the weekend – though there is room for financial improvement in the east Midlands.
The Foxes overcame fellow Midlands outfit Coventry City thanks to a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall brace, taking them just outside of the top-seven and having a top start to their campaign against a challenging opponent.
But with a few weeks left in the transfer window, there will remain an element of uneasiness about outgoings once the window shuts. And that could see the Foxes sell three of their stars to alleviate financial fears. Football League World takes a look at some players who fit the bill.
Jannik Vestergaard
Vestergaard started for Leicester City in their 2-1 win over Coventry on Sunday afternoon, and in fairness, the big Dane wasn’t poor against the Sky Blues in their first game back in the Championship since 2013-14. But Wout Faes shone alongside him at right-back, and youngster Callum Doyle was impressive against his former side as he formed the centre-back pairing with Vestergaard alongside him.
But if the Foxes are to improve going forward, then Faes does need to be played in the centre to get the best out of him. Leicester, realistically, will be on the front foot for a lot of the current campaign and with that they will need somebody who is comfortable on the ball in the final third. Ideally that would be Timothy Castagne, though Fulham are reportedly interested in a move for his services – which could see Ricardo Pereira move to right-back. Of course, Luke Thomas, Victor Kristiansen and James Justin are other options on both flanks, which would see Faes accommodate a move into the middle.
Elsewhere, Conor Coady and Harry Souttar will be more than just bench options for the Foxes. Their returns to the starting XI conversation would see them compete with Faes and Doyle – which could facilitate the move of Vestergaard. After all, according to Capology, the Dane is totting up £70,000 per week – a lot of money for the second tier.
Wilfried Ndidi
Ndidi, of course, is a player that Leicester know is beyond the Championship in terms of quality. The Nigerian was once touted as one of the standout defensive midfielders in the Premier League after his move to the King Power Stadium, but that has taken a turn with his form declining and Leicester being relegated to the second-tier.
Essentially, his reported wage of £75,000-per-week is, of course, extremely high for the Championship – but having experienced European, top-flight and World Cup football at the age of just 26, Ndidi still could stand as a decent option for any Premier League team, even if as a backup player.
Leicester could grab a decent fee for his services, you feel, even with a year left on his contract. Conor Coady can play in the holding position, and the likes of Harry Winks, Hamza Choudhury, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Dennis Praet and Boubakary Soumare are all more than good enough to breeze through the division. Ndidi could find a move to a higher division, whilst Leicester would be getting rid of a player who hasn’t been at his best for the past two years – a good deal for everyone.
Patson Daka
The most obvious name on this list – Patson Daka could depart Leicester this summer. He’s already been linked with Everton despite a relatively poor couple of seasons at the King Power Stadium having only scored nine goals in 53 Premier League appearances.
Daka failed to get off the bench for Leicester on Sunday, with Jamie Vardy chosen up front and Kelechi Iheanacho his replacement, and new signing Stephy Mavididi can play up top if needed – representing arguably the strongest-ever strike force in second-tier history.
Daka is on £75,000 per week, according to Capology, which again makes him one of the highest earners at the club. That’s slightly below the estimated £80,000 per week going to Iheanacho and far below the incredible £140,000 that Vardy is suggested to be on, though Daka does have the joint-highest value of the trio alongside Iheanacho according to Transfermarkt; though with interest elsewhere and at the age of just 24, Daka will be the easier sale.
