Itzhak Maresca Liverpool City
For Leicester City in the Championship, the season has gotten off to a fantastic start.
Hull City defeated the Foxes 1-0 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, handing them their first loss of the season. Liam Delap’s goal in the 15th minute gave the Tigers the victory.
Prior to that, though, Enzo Maresca’s team had won their first four league contests, and they now enter the international break in third position overall, tied on points with Ipswich Town for second place and one point back of league-leading Preston North End.
Harry Winks, Conor Coady, Mads Hermansen, Stephy Mavididi, Tom Cannon, Callum Doyle, Cesare Casadei, Yunus Akgun, and Abdul Fatawu have all joined Maresca’s reconstructed team this summer.
Smithies, a goalkeeper, joined the Foxes from Cardiff City last summer but has yet to play for the team.
Smithies is presently sidelined due to injury, but given the fierce competition for spots from Hermansen, Jakub Stolarczyk, Danny Ward, and Daniel Iversen, it appears unlikely that he will play a significant amount of minutes upon his return. It would also be unexpected if he were to obtain a contract extension when his current term ends.
Defender Vestergaard did not feature for Leicester in the Premier League last season under Brendan Rodgers or Dean Smith, with his only appearances coming in the cup competitions.
However, the 31-year-old is back in favour under Maresca and has started all five Championship games so far, forming a partnership with Wout Faes at the heart of the defence.
Ndidi, a midfielder for Leicester City, resisted interest from Bayern Munich and Nottingham Forest this summer.
Ndidi has been a mainstay in the team since his arrival from Genk in January 2017 and he has scored two goals and provided one assist in seven appearances in all competitions so far this season.
This summer, Southampton was said to be interested in signing midfielder Choudhury from the King Power Stadium, but a transfer never happened.
Choudhury, who spent the previous season on loan at Watford, has made five appearances for Maresca’s team this year in all competitions, however all of his league minutes have come as a substitute.
Praet moved to Leicester from Sampdoria in August 2019, but he has had trouble securing a consistent starting position.
The midfielder has made three appearances across all competitions this season and contributed one assist, however he is now out with a back injury and is anticipated to be sidelined for three months.
Winger Albrighton is one of the Foxes’ longest-serving players having arrived from Aston Villa in May 2014.
The 33-year-old, who was involved in the club’s Premier League and FA Cup-winning squads, spent the second half of last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion after his game time was limited in the top flight.
Albrighton has made four appearances in all competitions this campaign and while he may not be a regular, his experience will be useful for Maresca in the dressing room.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Leicester will have been delighted to retain Iheanacho this summer amid interest from Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Iheanacho has been Maresca’s first-choice striker so far this season, but keeping hold of him beyond the end of his contract could depend on whether the Foxes are able to secure promotion.
Jamie Vardy
Striker Vardy has enjoyed an illustrious spell with the Foxes since his move from then non-league Fleetwood Town in May 2012, winning the Championship title in 2014, the Premier League title in 2016 and the FA Cup in 2021.
If Vardy’s contract is not extended beyond the end of the season, helping the club back to the top flight will be the perfect way for the 36-year-old to end his time at the King Power Stadium
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