Leicester City

Danny Murphy has predicted James Maddison will leave Leicester City if Manchester United target the England international. 

The pundit said the lure of playing at Old Trafford would be an attractive option for the midfielder.

Speaking to Sky Sports' The Debate (h/t Matt Maltby of The Mirror), Murphy said the player would have little hesitation about joining the Red Devils:

"You cannot tell me there's a young English footballer at Leicester, no matter how well they are doing, who would turn down Manchester United. It's not going to happen.

"I am not a United fan but they still have the draw. To play at Old Trafford every week instead of Leicester, regardless of position, he is gone."

"If he is confident enough in his own ability, he will think he can take United into the top four next season."

The 23-year-old has seen his reputation explode in the past 12 months, and he's considered one of the most exciting players in the Premier League.

Maddison's creativity has helped his club up to second, and Brendan Rodgers has allowed the player addition responsibilities on the pitch.

The former Norwich City attacker has scored five and assisted three goals in 15 Premier League appearances, and his profile continues to grow.

United have seen an upturn in performances after Fred's improvement, and his partnership with Scott McTominay has been crucial for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Paul Pogba's injury absence has hindered creativity, and the addition of Maddison would solve United's midfield challenges.

Solskjaer made three signings last summer, and United's squad might need further additions in January.

However, with Leicester riding high, it's unlikely Rodgers will be keen to do any business that sees outgoings from the King Power Stadium before the end of the campaign.

Brendan Rodgers has signed a new contract with Leicester City amid rumours Arsenal wanted to hire him to replace the recently departed Unai Emery.

Rodgers was only appointed Foxes manager in February, but Leicester announced on Friday he has now signed a new deal to 2025. 

The Northern Irishman's previous deal at Leicester, signed when he moved from Celtic to the King Power Stadium, was set to expire in 2022.

The former Liverpool boss succeeded Claude Puel in the Leicester dugout and has transformed the club's fortunes in impressive fashion:

52 - Leicester have won 52 points in the Premier League under Brendan Rodgers (W16 D4 L5) - since his first game on March 3rd, only Liverpool (71) and Manchester City (59) have collected more points in the competition. Project. pic.twitter.com/Q3nxtN7Q5L

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 6, 2019

After 15 games of the 2019-20 season, the Foxes are second in the table, eight points behind runaway leaders Liverpool:

The #PL top 2️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/4cGccvS2t4

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 5, 2019

Rodgers has overseen a recent run of eight wins on the bounce in all competitions, which included a record-breaking 9-0 victory away at Southampton.

Leicester's current tally of 35 points is three more than they had at the same stage in 2015-16, when they famously went on to win the title in extraordinary fashion.

The brilliant work Rodgers has done in just a brief period at Leicester has not gone unnoticed elsewhere, but by putting pen to paper on a new deal, the 46-year-old has categorically shut down recent speculation about his future. 

Caglar Soyuncu isn't paying attention to rumours linking him with a transfer away from Leicester City, according to his agent.

The centre-back, who is a rumoured target of Arsenal and Manchester City, is instead keen to remain with the Foxes.

His agent, Mustafa Dogru, told Turkish radio station Radyospor (h/t Rich Jones of the Daily Mirror): "Of course it's perfectly normal for him to be involved in transfer speculation after his performances with Leicester City this season. However, we have no interest in this discussion. Both club and Caglar are looking to continue with each other. He is only focusing on the remainder of the season."

Dogru's words will disappoint Arsenal after the Gunners were said to be watching the Turkey defender during the recent international break. Turkish source Star (h/t ESPN.co.uk) reported this month the north London club had sent scouts to run the rule over Soyuncu during matches with Iceland and Andorra.

Soyuncu has also been drawing interest from Manchester City, according to Paul Gilmour of Sky Sports News. City need reinforcements in defence amid a slew of injuries to key players such as centre-back Aymeric Laporte.

The Citizens have conceded in each of their last six matches in all competitions, while Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet since beating Bournemouth 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium in early October.

Both teams have seen Soyuncu thrive in Premier League action this season. The 23-year-old has ably replaced Harry Maguire, who left the King Power Stadium to join Manchester United during the summer in a deal worth £80 million, a world-record fee for a defender.

Sell Harry Maguire.
Bank a world record fee.
Promote Caglar Soyuncu.
Look better defensively. pic.twitter.com/eh58DJ3DXS

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 9, 2019

Leicester are arguably stronger at the back now that Soyuncu is partnered with Jonny Evans. The latter has long been a solid veteran in England's top flight, but it's Soyuncu who has risen to genuine stardom this season.

He's proved a bargain after sealing a transfer to the Foxes worth £19 million in 2018. While he's been strong in the air and sure as a tackler, Soyuncu has particularly impressed with his technique on the ball, a quality he showcased during a recent 2-0 win over the Gunners:

Çaglar Söyüncü in the first half for Leicester vs. Arsenal:

Passes attempted: 54
Passes completed: 53

Top distribution from the Turk. 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/1l3Z4COz7r

— Squawka (@Squawka) November 9, 2019

Arsenal have been linked with Soyuncu since the player's days at German side Freiburg. There is no doubt he would represent a serious upgrade over incumbents Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and David Luiz.

The Gunners need some elite talent at the back to shore up a defence that has surrendered 19 goals through 13 league matches. Meanwhile, City receiving midseason reinforcements at the base of the team could be the key to helping the third-place side overhaul Liverpool in the title race.

Yet Leicester are also a legitimate player for the championship in second place, and the Foxes will only remain so if Soyuncu remains a rock at the back.

Leicester City forward Demarai Gray has said Arsenal were "playing backwards" in their 2-0 loss to the Foxes in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Gunners were dominated for long spells of the match at the King Power Stadium, with goals from Jamie Vardy and James Maddison enough to condemn the visitors to a deserved defeat. It meant Arsenal went into the current international break on a run of five games without a win.

Speaking about the match, Gray, who was introduced into the game as a second-half substitute, said it struck him how Leicester's opponents were playing, per Metro:

"It was a nice win. It was a different kind of game. We had to be patient as they sat off us but we knew as long as we kept playing, we'd get the opportunities and Vards [Jamie Vardy] got us going.

"I said on the bench at the start of the game to JJ [James Justin], 'If you look at them, they're quite deep.' It's kind of a compliment as we've got a team like Arsenal playing backwards. We're a possession team, we keep the ball and keep it moving and, as I say, we had to grind them down and we did that in the end."

While Arsenal struggled to find a fluency in their attacking play, Leicester were able to cut the Gunners defence open on a couple of occasions to score:

Per Amy Lawrence of The Athletic, it's been a long time since the North London club got off to such a slow start to the campaign:

Nobody was surprised at the result at Leicester, but Arsenal's PL win percentage is their worst since 1995 (finished 12th that season). A piece, with @gunnerblog, on how signals that Emery's way might not be a good fit were there if you look beyond the CV. https://t.co/WS0ls6E5ub

— Amy Lawrence (@amylawrence71) November 10, 2019

Arsenal boss Unai Emery chose to set his side up with a three-man defence for the first time in the Premier League this season and the tweak in setup backfired.

The Gunners were dominated down the flanks and failed to piece together attacking patterns of their own throughout the contest. Up top, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil were unable to have much of an influence on the contest.

Per Orbinho, in recent away matches, the Gunners have struggled to get their star forward involved in the game:

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang has had three shots in this last three Premier League away matches.

One of the best strikers in world football and we've managed to create just three chances for him in three games.

— Orbinho (@Orbinho) November 10, 2019

Arsenal writer Layth Yousif commented on the lack of defined style the team has under the guidance of Emery:

FT: Leicester 2-0 Arsenal. Underwhelming, uninspired and unimaginative. How much longer can Unai Emery continue to be head coach while his team produce such insipid performances which lack identity as much as organisation, flair as much as solidity. Not good enough. Again pic.twitter.com/7UqXvwVvpJ

— Layth (@laythy29) November 9, 2019

By contrast, Leicester are excelling with Brendan Rodgers at the helm. The Foxes—playing with a freedom and intensity that Arsenal fans have not seen for a long time from their own players—are in second place in the table, eight points behind leaders Liverpool.

Arsenal are down in sixth, nine points back on Leicester and eight points behind Manchester City in fourth. The worry for Gunners supporters will be that if the Foxes have sensed clear vulnerabilities to exploit in their play, then others will do the same.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has said he's not too concerned about the transfer rumours surrounding James Maddison and Ben Chillwell, and while the Foxes can't stop them from moving to bigger clubs, the appeal of the King Power Stadium is strong at this time.  

Per Goal's Chris Burton, Rodgers was asked about transfer interest from Manchester United and Chelsea in two of his top stars, and though he admitted the Foxes can't compete with those giants financially, there are reasons for the two to stay:

"The power and prestige of the Premier League, plus the financial clout the teams have means you’ll always lose players, but you also have a greater chance to hang onto them.

"It all depends on what it is for. For players it will be about game time and money, you have to respect that, their career is so short. There are greater opportunities for a place to stay, develop and improve, and see where they can go later.

"The reality is we will never be able to pay what some of these guys can get at those clubs. You can leave here and double or treble your wages. That’s the reality and it is important for players and people. If you cannot pay that, there is an opportunity for players to move on.

"It’s a great club here for them to come in and learn. It depends on what the player wants though. Look at Jamie Vardy, he was here and he had opportunities to leave but he decided no, he wanted to be here, to stay and continue the legendary status he has. Harry Maguire came in, did well for a couple of years, and decided he wanted to move to Manchester United, it’s different."

Maddison and Chillwell have been two of the main reasons for Leicester's hot start to the season, and predictably, that has led to a fair bit of transfer chatter.

The Foxes have sold several top stars in recent years, including Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City and Harry Maguire to United in the last two seasons.

But despite that turnover, they have found ways to stay successful. The Foxes currently sit tied for third in the Premier League standings, and Rodgers' good work at the King Power Stadium is being recognised:

OFFICIAL: The Premier League October Manager of the Month nominees:

• Frank Lampard
• Jürgen Klopp
• Brendan Rodgers
• Graham Potter
• Dean Smith

Who are you backing to win? pic.twitter.com/gNNZoATWs4

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 1, 2019

Leicester has proved a great place for players to develop, and the Foxes play some of the most exciting football in England. This recent goal against Crystal Palace was a great example:

🔎【How to score a team goal】 pic.twitter.com/rDo7bXYzfd

— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 4, 2019

With winning football and a great system in place, Leicester has become an appealing club to not only move to but also stay at for an extended period. Jamie Vardy, the Premier League's current top scorer, is an example of a wanted player who opted not to move to Arsenal, per Burton.

Per Transfermarkt.com, Leicester have broken their record for largest outgoing transfer fee in four straight seasons, so at least one big transfer in the summer is expected. Given their track record, the Foxes are likely to limit the big departures to just one, however, and will have a top replacement lined up.

A January sale for either player seems unlikely if the Foxes can maintain their spot in the top four.

Leicester City's Hamza Choudhury was the target of racist abuse on social media on Saturday after his club's visit to Liverpool in the Premier League.

The midfielder's challenge on Mohamed Salah saw the Egypt international depart the field with an injury.

Amitai Winehouse of MailOnline reported Choudhury was called a "f--king monkey," among other racially charged insults.

The 22-year-old was also told, "Go back to your f--king cave u n----r moneky [sic]" on Instagram.

An injury-time penalty saw James Milner make it 2-1 to Liverpool after Salah was substituted with a minute to play. Choudhury entered the game from the bench just moments before his tackle on the Liverpool forward, which earned him a yellow card.

After the match, Jurgen Klopp said Choudhury's challenge was "dangerous as hell," per beIN Sports.

Jurgen Klopp fumes at Hamza Choudhury for his "dangerous as hell" challenge on Mo Salah!#beINPL #PL #LIVLEI 📺 HD11 pic.twitter.com/NnSBsSb4nE

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) October 5, 2019

A number of players have been racially abused on social media in recent months, including Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba and Chelsea's Tammy Abraham.

Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell has said he has "no regrets" regarding his decision to stay at the club amid interest from Liverpool earlier in his career. 

The defender has cemented his position as the starting left-back for the Foxes in recent years and is a regular for the England national team too. Chilwell's potential was recognised from an early age, with a number of elite clubs linked with him in the past.

Liverpool were one of those, and speaking ahead of Leicester's clash with the Reds at Anfield on Saturday, Chilwell was quizzed on the previous interest from the Reds, per Sky Sports:

"I was 17 at the time. My agent was the one dealing with it all, talking to Liverpool and Leicester about the situation. At the time, I was trying to break into the under-21 team at Leicester, so I was just focused on getting into that and progressing into the first team here.

"... Definitely no regrets. When I look at how the last four or five years have gone, starting eight games now for the England team is something I'm very happy with. Leicester was the right place for me to be at the time, and the older players have helped me a lot. The staff have kept me grounded. Definitely no regrets."

Now 22, Chilwell has made major strides in his game and is part of a Leicester outfit that is functioning brilliantly under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers. The current Foxes boss was the man in charge at Liverpool when speculation about interest in the left-back started to surface.

Per Match of the Day, since Rodgers took charge of Leicester in February, only the Premier League's two standout teams have fared better:

Points since Brendan Rodgers took charge at Leicester:

49pts - Liverpool
43pts - Man City
31pts - Leicester
30pts - Chelsea

Will Leicester be in the Champions League next season?#bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/TQubpULOZd

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) September 30, 2019

Chilwell has been a crucial part of their success, with his raids down the left flank a constant outlet for the team. The England international brings energy on the wing and can pick out dangerous crosses when he does venture forward.

While the full-back is renowned for his attacking endeavour, last season he showcased improvements in his defensive play too, regularly halting opposition attacks in the wide areas:

Ben Chilwell: Only Charlie Taylor (32) has blocked more crosses than @BenChilwell (24) in the Premier League this season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/IkhIka8TH2 pic.twitter.com/BojyxLuWh0

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) March 28, 2019

Although Chilwell is one of the best left-backs in the division, Liverpool have an excellent option in that position in Andy Robertson.

The Scotland captain has been a crucial player for Jurgen Klopp's side, and along with Trent Alexander-Arnold, he offers a huge attacking threat from the full-back position:

Since the start of last season, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have assisted 34 goals between them 😳

THIRTY. FOUR.

🙌🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/CMYA2UV531

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2019

Chilwell and the rest of his Leicester team-mates will face a huge test when they go to Liverpool on Saturday. The Reds have won all seven of their Premier League games so far this season.

Mohamed Salah plays on the right side of Liverpool's attacking trio, and the Egyptian has caused problems for all opponents he's come up against this term. If Chilwell is able to contain his influence, it will go a long way to helping Leicester get a result.

Manchester United are reportedly planning another move for a Leicester City player, with rising star James Maddison wanted at Old Trafford.

According to the Sunday Mirror's John Richardson, the Red Devils will likely have to pay a similar fee to the £80 million they spent to sign Harry Maguire from the Foxes in the summer transfer window. A January bid is expected, although Leicester are not believed to be willing to sell until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old moved to the King Power Stadium last season and wasted little time establishing himself as a household name. He was one of Leicester's top performers during the 2018-19 campaign and has started the new season in fine form as well.

He bagged an assist in the 2-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday, leaving one Manchester United fan salivating:

https://twitter.com/utdxtra/status/1165277516250193920

Per the report, England manager Gareth Southgate plans to use the creative midfielder in the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo. A regular spot in the national team will only drive up his price further.

Former team-mate Maguire was United's headline signing of the summer, one year after he was a standout for England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Red Devils spent a world-record fee to land the 26-year-old from the Foxes in August.

More investment is needed to return the club to title contention, however. United have won just one of their three Premier League matches this season and already chase rivals Liverpool by five points in the standings.

Midfield is one of the biggest concerns for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Paul Pogba made no secret of his desire to leave the club this summer, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the unit.

Youri Tielemans is set to officially sign for Leicester City on a permanent basis after the Foxes agreed terms with the midfielder's parent club, AS Monaco, on Monday.

Leicester made the announcement via their official website, noting how any deal is still subject to Premier League and international clearance: "The 22-year-old has signed a four-year deal after a highly impressive loan spell with the Foxes during the second half of last season and becomes the third arrival of the summer after James Justin and Ayoze Perez."

Sky Sports News has reported there is a "broad agreement on the legal structure" of Tielemans' £40 million transfer fee, with the Belgium international, who spent the second half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan at the King Power Stadium, having already "verbally agreed" to a contract with the 2016 Premier League champions.

Securing Tielemans' signature, even for a club-record fee, represents excellent business for the Foxes. The move provides progressive manager Brendan Rodgers with yet another creative talent, one who had also reportedly drawn interest from top-flight rivals Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Tielemans has already proved he can form a useful partnership with classy No. 10 James Maddison. This forward-thinking duo will Rodgers' preferred expansive style of play click this season.

7 - From his debut on February 10 to the end of the season, only Jamie Vardy (12) was involved in more Premier League goals for Leicester City than Youri Tielemans (7 - 3 goals, 4 assists). Foxy. pic.twitter.com/3BMNrvlPkG

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 8, 2019

They will provide the ammunition for a fluid forward line still led by prolific No. 9 Jamie Vardy. He'll receive stronger support after the £30 million capture of intelligent forward Ayoze Perez from Newcastle United.

Along with wingers Harvey Barnes and Demarai Gray, Leicester are now spoiled for choice when it comes to match-winners in the final third. There will be no shortage of goals as Rodgers attempts to challenge the established order of the division's top six.

Both Rodgers and Tielemans talked up the potential for something special from Leicester's loaded group:

City boss, Brendan Rodgers: “Youri fit brilliantly into the squad last season, he’s already shown that he’s capable of making an impact in the Premier League and he adds another option to an incredibly talented group of players"

— BBC Sport Leicester (@BBCRLSport) July 8, 2019

While Leicester have produced a minor coup by seeing this deal over the line, Monaco should also be commended. The Ligue 1 club has cashed in a tidy profit on the former Anderlecht ace:

Youri Tielemans at AS Monaco:

Signed for €23m, played 65 times, provided 3 assists & scored 6 goals. Actively shunned by Leonardo Jardim, failed under Thierry Henry.

Sold for double after 18 months. It's Monaco's market & we are all merely living in it.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 8, 2019

With former Arsenal man Cesc Fabregas pulling the strings at the heart of the engine room, Monaco were left with less of a need for Tielemans' vision and flair.

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers is confident "the club will do everything" to keep Youri Tielemans beyond the summer amid rumours linking him with the likes of Manchester United.

According to Kristof Terreur of Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws (h/t The Sun's Nick Howson), United and Tottenham Hotspur are keen on the 21-year-old, who is said to be valued at £40 million.

Per Nick Mashiter of The Independent, Rodgers said:

"There will be dialogue between the clubs. He's clearly a player we would like to work with and I understand the fans enjoy watching a player like that.

"I'm sure the club will do everything they possibly can to bring him in. There are things he can't do but he's paid to create and score and he's doing that very well. It's important that you have players that are hungry to score and Youri has got that."

Rodgers spoke after Leicester's 3-0 win over Arsenal, in which Tielemans opened the scoring when he glanced a header past Bernd Leno.

It was the Belgium international's third goal in 11 matches for the Foxes since he arrived on loan from Monaco in January, and he has also produced five assists.

Scouted Football and football writer Matt Spiro observed the way the midfielder's game is more suited to Leicester and the Premier League than it was Ligue 1, where he struggled to show his best:

Tielemans has been a great pick-up for Leicester; his skillset balances out the team is a bit more.

Comfortable receiving and releasing quickly, he adds tempo to their passing. His ability to move into space and attack the box from deep is something their midfield lacked too.

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) April 28, 2019

And this isn’t a pop at the PL or a suggestion Ligue 1 is tougher. It’s just different. French games are cagier, less gung-ho. Some players are more suited to certain leagues. Tielemans looks much better suited to England

— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) April 28, 2019

Commentator Tim Long thinks he could be a shrewd buy for United, while Football.London's James Benge feels Arsenal should pursue him:

Attitude, character, & personality need to fit the profile. Those are the things that are often overlooked & not easy to assess from the outside looking in. If that’s there too, then I’d do it. Think #MUFC need two CMs. The other can be more of a ball winner.

— Tim Long 🎙 (@timlongsports) April 28, 2019

Hard to believe that in a window where Arsenal could have signed Youri Tielemans on loan they were so willing to put their eggs in a Denis Suarez-shaped basket.

Tielemans just the sort of player Arsenal need in midfield & arguably better than any of the options for next season.

— James Benge (@jamesbenge) April 29, 2019

United have little creativity in midfield aside from Paul Pogba, and the Frenchman has struggled for consistency since his return to Old Trafford in 2016.

That's where Tielemans could come in, as he excels at picking out defence-splitting passes and has an eye for goal, too. 

In his final season with Anderlecht, he netted 18 times in all competitions, ostensibly from a central midfield position.

Bringing him back on a permanent basis would be superb business from Leicester, who will be among the sides hoping to bridge the gap on the Premier League's top six next season.

He's an exciting prospect, and the better he performs during his loan spell at the King Power Stadium, the more competition the Foxes will have this summer.