Enzo Maresca looks close to get Leicester back to Premier League, but his contract acts in the next months and also transfer deals to be done over the summer, will of course shape the landscape and form the shap of next seasons squad.
There are a number of four or five categories of players at the club. If you look at it all in a contract perspective and how to recruit from now until the end of the season, as well as doing just the business needed over the summer.
The categories are, very long term deals, long term deals, deals to expire after next season, contracts to be renewed before next season and at last players to consider released.
1. Long term deals, (2,5 years and more)
18 players are on long term deals and of course you can see some of them landing loan deals or being seen as transfer objects for Leicester to earn cash on, but it will be difficult to get them out as they are on saleries and deals that few can match. This is initially why they signed for Leicester, so we feel that all 17 should be considered as first team squad members next season.
- G, Mads Hermansen, Jun 28
- G, Jakub Stolarczyk, Jun 26
- D, Wout Faes, Jun 27
- D, Harry Souttar, Jun 28
- D, Conor Coady, Jun 26
- D, James Justin, Jun 26
- D, Ricardo Pereira, Jun 26
- M, Harry Winks, Jun 26
- M, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jun 27
- F, Stephy Mavididi, Jun 28
- M, Hamza Choudhury, Jun 27
- F, Tom Cannon, Jun 28
- M, Patson Daka, Jun 26
- M, Bouba Soumare, Jun 26
- D, Victor Kristiansen, Jun 28
- D, Ben Nelson, Jun 27
- F, Marcal Madivadua, Jun 26
- D, Luke Thomas, Jun 26
2. Short term deals (1 to 2 years)
Four players are in this category. Sales must be highly considered at least for Daniel Iversen, with so many other goalkeeper alternatives. Danny Ward should also be seen as a possible sale, bringing Brad Young, the England u.20 international, into the first team squad frame. Not doing a stupid recruitment of a third choice goalkeeper, having options in the development squad. Kasey McAteer must as soon as possible be given a new long term deal, as he can become very valuable as his talent has shone this season. Lewis Brunt is also one to consider, building on a very impressive season on loan at Mansfield.
- D, Lewis Brunt, Jun 25
- G, Danny Ward, Jun 25 *
- G, Daniel Iversen, Jun 25 *
- M, Kasey McAteer, Jun 25
3. Out of contract in the summer
There are a few players that are out of contract in the summer, and hopefully offering new deals to Jannik Vestergaard, Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi. Marc Albrighton and Dennis Praet should be given a chance to leave. Vestergaard, Ndidi and Vardy have all been influential this season and can be good contributers next season as well, and as Vardy says, age is just a number. Kelechi Iheanacho is the one to leave out as we believe Jamie Vardy will be of bigger influence when returning to Premier League.
- D, Jannik Vestergaard, Jun 24
- M, Dennis Praet, Jun 24 *
- M, Wilfred Ndidi, Jun 24
- F, Marc Albrighton, Jun 24 *
- F, Jamie Vardy, Jun 24
- F, Kelechi Iheanacho, Jun 24 *
4. Loan players, having contract expires at the end of the season
Callum Doyle, Abdul Fatawu and Yunus Akgun are the three players being on a loan deal to the end of the season and both Callum Doyle and Abdul Fatawu should be considered as full recruitment material, or at least consider a new season on loan. Yunus Akgun has so far not impressed enough to be considered as a signing when Premier League comes around.
- F, Abdul Fatawu
- D, Callum Doyle
- F, Yunus Akgun
5. u.21 squad upgrades
There are several players in the u.21 set up that can take the step up, and we have allready mentioned Brad Young a player to count. Home grown players under the age of 21 will not either count as full members in a squad of 25, but they should be considered as members of the first team squad. This season we have seen a few making their debut in the first team, so of course good to have a closer look of a full term call up.
- G, Brad Young
- D, Joe Wormleighton
- M, Arjan Raikhy
- M, Brendon Cover
- M, Will Alves
- F, Tawanda Maswanhise
- M, Sammy Braybrooke
- F, Amani Richards
A return to the PL will of course need a few new signings, but as we have seen with players on long term deals and also having good contracts still running until the end of next season, you will be in a position to of course make loan moves possible, but we will not see a lot of changes.
Looking at a squad with double cover and three players to add to that list of 25, of course no need to buy fringe players, what you add to the squad are players that will strengthen the team.
The major topic for Enzo Maresca next summer will be to understand the quality of what he got benchmarking against what is available and not sell major contributers to add more to his squad. Continuity is so very important.
We have the following;
- Goalkeepers
- Hermansen, Stolarczyk, Young
- Defenders
- Souttar, Pereira, Faes, Nelson *, Vestergaard, Coady, Justin, Kristiansen
- Midfield
- Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndidi, McAteer, Winks, Choudhury, Raikhy
- Forwards
- Vardy, Daka, Cannon, Mavididi, Vacant, Vacant, Madivadua
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