Brendan Rodgers’ latest comments on potential outgoings at Leicester City make ***** up ears at St James’ Park.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, he’s confirmed the club may have to sell a few assets to make room for new signings, accepting they’re in a “very difficult” position and attempting to balance the books.
So farm the Foxes have rejected our opening two offers for James Maddison, with reports in France last night suggesting that Chelsea have launched a big-money bid for Wesley Fofana.
This doesn’t mean they’ll suddenly sell on the cheap, but if you combine Leicester’s need to raise funds with Maddison’s reported interest in making the move to St James’ Park, it seems like there’s a deal to be done here.
Here’s what Rodgers told the BBC when asked about the lack of signings and potential exits for Maddison and Fofana:
“I became aware towards the end of the season that the club would have to balance it’s books, then of course that becomes very difficult.
“The club will not look to spend money they don’t have and that is where the club is stable and they will always be very sensible.”
“It would have to be about trimming the squad or selling your assets [to make new signings]. That’s something that the club are looking closely at.
“It’s where we’re at. The squad needs to get trimmed. Until that happens, I have to concentrate on the players that I have.”
Old news, as a Leicester fan we’ve known this for nearly a month now and publicly.
Our main issue is player wages and not necessarily a lack if actual funds to make transfers.
No disrespect to Newcastle, but I struggle to see why Maddison would want to move to Newcastle, it would be a sideward step at best. He’s settled in a team that he is performing in and that’s what he needs to do if he wants to go to the World Cup.
Moving to Newcastle could unsettle him, take him a few months to settle in and then BANG he’s missed the World Cup!
I know NUFC is a team that is starting a great journey and will improve and challenge at the top of the table, but Leicester are already further down that road than Newcastle. Yes we had a poor season last season, but that was mainly down to injuries. We finished the season strong when we had players back fit. And this shows how far we have come to say it was a poor season finishing 8th and semi final of a European Cup (even if it was the Mickey Mouse one!!).
Just dont see why he would move, sorry NUFC fans
King Guinness(Quote)
King G – I understand what you’re saying and have huge respect for Leicester. They are the club in the PL that I look and think I’d be happy if that was NUFC. Don’t like City’s wealth, Liverpool are up their own **** & Man Utd are entitled – not gonna bother with the rest.
Great relationship between fans & owners (or seems to be), and a good honest team – no bad feelings here mate.
But I think your financial situation has got you as far as the club gets – solid top half PL with cup runs.
Maddison may look at us as a club that could go further – yes we are behind right now, but next season and beyond I see us top 6. LC probably 8-10th most seasons I reckon.
I could understand the lad staying though – for all the reasons you give in terms of WC.
What will be will be mate, but wish you well this season whatever the outcome 👍🏻
Sharpy17(Quote)
King G – It’s the upward direction of Newcastle against the confusing direction Leicester seem to be taking. They haven’t signed a player and need to balance the books by selling their best players.
Kasper Schmeichel has gone and rumours that Wesley Fofana and Youri Tielemans are to follow (even rumours surfacing that Vardy could interest Man U or Chelsea) and no players coming in yet you have to put yourself in Maddison’s shoes and ask the question where would I be best off, part of Newcastle’s (well funded) project or Leicester where they are selling their best players and any money coming in possibly won’t replace them with better players.
I love Leicester for what they achieved and you have fantastic owners but it seems to be turning into a selling club. Easy decision for me mate.
mactoon(Quote)
I think it’s a case of playing for a club which is probably never going to be any better than they are now (yes I know they miraculously won the league mainly thanks to a younger Vardy and an indefatigable Kante) or joining a club whose ambitions know no bounds, steered by a fantastic board of directors, manager and backroom staff, including owners with truly unlimited funds and a determined vision for the future.
Make no mistake about it, in two or three years time no player will want to turn down Newcastle United. The Saudi PIF will only want and expect the very best and won’t settle for less.
Toonarden(Quote)
Ambitions can mean anything it’s what you do over 90mins each week ythat tells the tale we are in the doldrums at the moment for whatever reasons the infrastructure is here the team are not far away from being a very good side, but no-one can be sure of the future whether it be money problems or team problems.
Newcastle are now in a position to help themselves but talk is cheap it’s actions that matter
Mick(Quote)
Your not really nderstanding the situation at LCFC, the only reason they need to move players out isn’t to purchase new players, it’s to reduce the wage billmof the fringe players, players like Choudhry, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Perez, Mendy etc. FFP dictates your outgoings can’t eclipes your income. LCFC have no disire to sell assest, just deadwood. You seem to be under the illusion there’s a fire sale, i’m sorry to tell you you couldn’t be further than the truth. LCFC will keep Maddison, Forfana, Barnes, Justin, Castagne KDH, etc. Rodgers wants a squad refresh, with the emphasis on squad. If we don’t off load the dead wood, we go with what we have, which by the way is a team when fully fit that spent 2 of the last 3 years in the top 4 dipping out on the final day with injuries. LCFC have a better chance of making top 6/7 next season than NUFC, to tempt quality players to leave their clubs for “a project” takes more than money. Lets be honest here who expects Fast Eddie to be at the helm this time next season, Staveley & Sheik ya money, will be looking for a higher profile manager very soon if they want to attract the top names to take NUFC where they want them to be.
Wigstonfox(Quote)
Wigstonfox – Your description of FFP rules isn’t exactly accurate, The rules state the amount that clubs are permitted to lose over a three-year period is €60m and European clubs will be limited to spending 70% percent of their revenue on wages, transfers and agents’ fees. It’s all about maintaining a serviceable debt.
Whether it’s LCFC selling their star assets or selling deadwood to trim the wage bill it still means they won’t be bringing in better players due to them being unable to offer big wages and in that respect Newcastle who are on the up would present a better option. The players I mentioned are in fact their quality players and it isn’t me making it up, it’s based on reports. Let’s just see how many of their stars are sacrificed to balance the books.
With regards to Howe I fully understand he was brought in to keep us in the Premier league in order to start the rebuild and move to the next stage. He does deserve the chance to carry on the job but most of us expect the owners to replace him if the job he does doesn’t match where they want to be.
mactoon(Quote)
As others have mentioned I actually have huge respect for Leicester as a club, how they are ran and what they have achieved punching above weight.
However Leicester are in big trouble. This isnt a slur. It reminds me of a team at Newcastle when were similarly placed and had just qualified for the qualifiers for Champions League. We barely invested simply taking Bowyer I think it was on a free to improve the squad. It was a bad move as it massively backfired and lacked ambition we were topping out financially. Same when we finished 5th under Mike Ashley. Lacked ambition. Players sniff it out and the rot sets in. Momentum is a poweful thing and Leicester seem to be losing it now. Kasper leaving, Vardy is in his twilight, Tielemans running his contract down and Maddy 1 year behind. Players will be looking around and saying we arent going anywhere here. Its just facts of life. Now that Trips and Pope are at Newcastle eyes will be on us for the England call ups from Southgate. Maddy will be aware of that.
Having said that is Maddy even bothered about that? I have to question that part. Hes not around the squad currently. If he does he may feel a change of scenery will do him good, tends to be case with many players.
But Newcastle’s owners may also be playing the card they sort of pulled on Burnley by weakening a team they are after outperforming. At the time Newcastle were fighting relegation and taking really their only limited goal source out of they it hurt them. Newcastle might be looking at the same thing with Maddy in finishing top half this year. Newcastle as a team now are very solid. They lack imagination to open teams at times for all our huff and puff with Max and Miggy. We don’t really have that door opener apart from Bruno who did it a bit last season. We have goals if you can keep WIlson fit which is a big IF but going into what is required next season putting in someone like Maddison may be more than enough to achieve what is needed with the funds for a striker coming the following season.
Not going to go over the top but Newcastle arent a million miles away from a solid 11 and may cause a few shocks as Arsenal found out at the end of last season. I think Howe for sure wont have anyone out working us with a touch of class in Bruno and Botman shining through.
My gut feeling is Rodgers could be one of the first half season managers under pressure through no fault really of his own. We will see. Time will tell but good luck for the season. Btw amazing training complex thats been built.
Toonrobbybobson(Quote)
Media and by the look of this forum NU fans are in this weird alternate reality thinking that Leicester is this dying carcass on the ground that others can easily swoop in like vultures and pick apart on, especially on the cheap. The rumors are crazy wild right now.
Just don’t be that shocked when transfers close and all the Leicester top dogs are still at Leicester. Hasn’t anyone ever seen how LCFC conducts business over its desired players? They won’t get pushed around. If they can sell Maguire for 80m then you know Maddison, Barnes, Fofana etc aren’t going to go for a song. Sorry mates.
Don’t also be shocked thinking LCFC is this stale team. They had some struggles last season but righted the ship well enough to finish above the likes of Newcastle, and that was a “bad” year mostly played without their 80m top rated defender. Zero transfers won’t even mean anything compared to zero injuries. Zero injuries would put them Top 5.
John Gaudy(Quote)
Fast Eddie just signed a new contract. Anyway, Leicester will have to sell Maddison and Tieleman as neither looks likely to sign a new contract and they can’t afford to allow their values to diminish to £20 and £0 next year. I suspect Maddison is waiting for Spurs or Arsenal to step up, otherwise both will run down their contracts.
Chris C(Quote)
The Foxes have thus far rejected our opening two proposals for James Maddison, and yesterday night, reports in France suggested that Chelsea had started a serious Wesley Fofana approach.
cookie clicker(Quote)