Conor Coady set to complete Wolves exit after Pep Guardiola recommendation

27 June 2023 , 15:57

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Conor Coady is set to join Leicester as they target an immediate return to the Premier League

Leicester are closing in on a deal for Conor Coady.

The Championship club hope to get the transfer completed by this weekend in what would be a major coup for Leicester. The Foxes have even beaten off strong Premier League competition to swoop for England international Coady.

Wolves defender Coady, 30, spent last season on loan at Everton, has now returned to his parent club but is set to move to the King Power Stadium. He is primed to become the second key figure to leave Molineux in a matter of days, following Ruben Neves' well-publicised move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Neves replaced Coady as club captain at the start of last season, but both will now depart as they look to balance the books following a £200m spending spree last season.

Leicester’s new boss Enzo Maresca targeted Coady as the experienced leader needed to guide them straight back to the Premier League. Coady built up a reputation as being a highly-respected voice in the dressing room which saw him become an England regular under Gareth Southgate.

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Those leadership qualities coupled with his quality as a proven ball-playing centre half made him the perfect fit for Maresca who has taken the job at the King Power Stadium having been part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching set-up at Manchester City. Guardiola had made complimentary remarks about Coady in the past so Maresca moved quickly to sign a player who can play out from the back.

It represents a change of philosophy in the Championship because Vincent Kompany won promotion with Burnley playing good football last season. That will clearly be Leicester’s ideal for this coming campaign having lost their Premier League status just seven years after being crowned champions.

Wolves defender Coady spent last season on loan with Everton (Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Leicester want strong, vocal leaders and Coady fits the mould perfectly particularly with big name players set to leave the King Power Stadium this summer. Veteran Jonny Evans has held talks about staying but his contract is due to expire this summer while the likes of James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Wilfred Ndidi could be on their way in this window.

But the acquisition of Coady shows that Leicester mean business and are determined to bounce straight back.

As for Wolves, uncertainty over large portions of their squad remains. Fellow defender Nathan Collins is being lined up for a move to Brentford, while Tottenham are understood to be monitoring Max Kilman.

Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui held crisis talks with the club's hierarchy earlier this summer after admitting he didn't appreciate the extent of their FFP concerns.

John Cross