Rodgers calls on Leicester chiefs to sell as many as seven first-team stars

06 January 2023 , 11:33

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Caglar Soyuncu is one of seven Leicester players out of contract in the summer (Image: Getty Images)

Brendan Rodgers has urged Leicester to offload any player who doesn't want to be at the club, as the Foxes prepare to get their January transfer window up and running.

Leicester were among the quieter teams in the summer window, with Wout Faes and Alex Smithies the only new additions. Rodgers' team started the season slowly after losing Kasper Schmeichel and Wesley Fofana, with just one win from their first 10 league games, but have since climbed out of the bottom three.

Youri Tielemans is the highest-profile star whose contract is set to expire in the summer and the Belgian has been linked with a move elsewhere in the Premier League. Rodgers addressed the situation ahead of Leicester's trip to Gillingham in the third round of the FA Cup, and hinted that more than one player could leave before the end of the month,

“I think that if someone doesn’t want to be here or someone wants too much money to be here, we have to be brave enough to say ‘listen, thank you very much and on you go’, because we are not a club with masses of resources that can facilitate every single player's need, especially from a financial side," Rodgers said.

“A number of these guys are down to their last year [in their contracts]. We said before we’d like them to stay but there has to be a point in time when what they want is too demanding for us as a club and if the time is right, they have to move on, then we have to do that and then look forward.”

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Aside from Tielemans, the Leicester players out of contract in the summer are Daniel Amartey, Ryan Bertrand, Jonny Evans, Papy Mendy, Ayoze Perez and Caglar Soyuncu. Turkey defender Soyuncu has been linked with Atletico Madrid, with reports suggesting he is close to agreeing terms over a summer switch.

Should Leicester offload all seven players? Have your say in the comments section

Youri Tielemans' future remains up in the air (Getty Images)

Arsenal's pursuit of Tielemans, who joined Leicester from Monaco in 2018, stalled over the summer. The 25-year-old was one of a number of targets for the London side, along with Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, but ultimately remained at the King Power Stadium.

"His commitment is no less now to what it was when I first came in - if not even more," Rodgers said of the midfielder ahead of Leicester's midweek game against Fulham. "He's loved his time here and is still loving his time here.

"I respect that he's in his last year. Of course, I want to tie him down. He's been a brilliant player for this club and is still at a great age. It's something that has to be right for all parties.

"Until I'm told he's not here, we work very well together. He's a coach's dream, with his professionalism and view of the game. Nothing changes for me in that aspect, we just continue to hopefully find a resolution to it and have him sign here. I think it's one where we want to do everything we can to convince him to stay.”

Tom Victor