Leicester City

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

It isn't quiet in one specific part of the major football clubs - the acquisitions department.

I know that because I was once the acquisitions department - well me and the manager mostly. While each player returned from holidays like a bronzed Adonis, we were cooped up in a small darkened room, beavering the daylight hours away like vampires.

There is plenty of guesswork in the media and a fair bit of leaking from the players and their people, but the clubs usually try to keep their transfer moves as quiet as possible.

If word gets out that a player is available, they know they might lose him to another club or else the price will increase as a bidding war erupts.

‌These are high stakes games and many are impressed by those who gamble and go early.

Manchester City have always been good enough, and let's be honest wealthy enough, to be able to do this well.

The problem is that some clubs are trying to do the same thing and are ending up paying top dollar for less able players, because they haven't done their due diligence in the market.

This is another area where the use of data, or maybe over-reliance on pure data, comes into play - feed all of the numbers in, let the technology do the crunching, and out comes the answer.

The problem is that everyone else has got the same or similar data.

What is needed, of course, is good human knowledge and the vision to aid the use of the information they have got. This is why these departments should be busy just now, they shouldn't just be doing deals which are admittedly very complex legal and financial documents these days.

Even more time should be spent on ensuring the new £75m player hasn't got a hidden weakness in his game or even the odd skeleton in his closet.

Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra Newsletter

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On the latest episode of the When You're Smiling Podcast, former Leicester winger Matt Piper discusses Steve Cooper, who will take charge of his first game in front of fans as Foxes boss on Tuesday against Shrewsbury:

"[The expectations for the match] will be for the players to show an understanding of what he's trying to get across to them in training. He won't be saying 'lets just get the win regardless', he won't want to see that. Winning is important but it's about the system.

"Are the players taking on board what he's trying to coach and is he seeing evidence of that? I think he will. From what I understand, he's a very clear communicator and all the players that have played under him previously have loved playing under him.

"He's going to be a breath of fresh air for some of the players. Enzo [Maresca] was great, but when you have a coach like Enzo, he wants you to stick to what he's asking you so rigidly. Someone like Steve Cooper will encourage that players having more freedom.

"Morgan Gibbs-White loved playing in a Steve Cooper team because he let him express himself and move all over the pitch. I think that will be an added benefit this season, the shackles will be taken off a bit.

Listen to the full episode here

Listen to full match commentary of Leicester's friendly on BBC Sounds

The latest episode of the When You're Smiling podcast by BBC Radio Leicester has landed.

Owynn Palmer-Atkin is joined by former Leicester winger Matt Piper and BBC World service's John Bennett to discuss the Foxes' next pre-season match against Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday.

Listen to the episode on BBC Sounds here

Leicester City have made an improved £21m offer for Juventus winger Matias Soule, 21, and hope to wrap up a deal for the Argentine next week. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Saturday's full gossip column

Image source, LCFC / Plumb Images

Lead singer of Leicester-based band The Mercians Matt Cominotto says collaborating with the club for the video to announce Abdul Fatawu's permanent signing, external was the "most surreal day" of his life.

An Indie cover of ABBA's Voulez-Vous using the lyrics of Fatawu's chant - 'Fatawu (aha) running down the wing... - was used to promote the Ghanaian winger making his loan move permanent across the Foxes' social channels.

"When it all kind of came out it still didn't feel real," Cominotto told the When You're Smiling podcast. "I've been a Leicester fan for as long as I can remember.

"It's probably the most surreal day of my entire life. I still can't quite believe it's happened.

"I'm very certain in the fact you can't fall in love with a loan player so this was a double exciting one for me because they chose my band to announce it and we got Fatawu permanently. Two of the best bits of news, so surreal.

"It was an extremely stressful 16-20 hours, lots of calls to producers. We just so happened to manage to find a guy near us who could accommodate us in the next hour or so. He just so happened to be in an ABBA tribute band so was the perfect man for the job. We pulled the track out of the bag and I think we did it justice. Big track to follow and massive player for the fans to celebrate.

"We went to Leicester the next day so it was a very stressful but very exciting day.

"When we got to the studio we thought 'we cannot rip off the original track' because it was an opportunity to get our sound out there."

Keeping Fatawu at the club is a major coup for Leicester as they prepare for a Premier League return. The 20-year-old played a key role in winning the Championship title last season, making 40 appearances, scoring six goals and registering 13 assists.

"I was terrified when he [Fatawu] turned up because if he didn't like it he wouldn't have to tell us he did like it," Cominotto added. "He's a footballer at the end of the day and they can do what they like.

"But, he absolutely loved it. As soon as I realised he loved it I was in a good mood. What a footballer, he can just offer something different. I'm very surprised he didn't get snapped up by one of the big clubs but thank goodness he stuck with us."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

It seems inevitable a host of Premier League managers will point to fixture congestion in the months to come.

When injuries mount, or when time on the training ground is squeezed, coaches often reference the intense nature of the calendar.

But research conducted by the respected CIES Football Observatory has delivered data which shows clubs are - on average - not playing more competitive games than they have in the last couple of decades.

The CIES looked at 677 clubs across 40 leagues. In looking at a period from 2012 to 2024, its findings show in 2023-24, the average club played 42.4 competitive matches. In 2014-15 that figure was 42.6 and in 2020-21 it hit 43.9.

And if focus is placed on sides competing in the Champions League, data gathered between 2000 and 2024 also shows sides are not setting fixture records in the current game, as some managers may like to loosely imply.

In looking at the five major European Leagues, the CIES claim Champions League competitors played an average of 50.8 matches last season.

In 2020-21 they averaged 57.9 and in 2002-03 they contested 55.2.

Manchester United played in 52 competitive games last season, down from highs of 71 in 2020-21 and 66 in 2008-09.

Across all of the clubs analysed, only 4% played more than 60 games last season. In 2012-13, the figure stood at 5.1%.

While clubs may play added friendlies and - it would be fair to say - individual matches tend to be longer given increased injury time in the current game, the data shows that competitive fixture numbers are flat or have in most cases fallen, even if disgruntled managers say otherwise.

The full study is here, external

We asked for your views on Abdul Fatawu signing a permanent contract with Leicester City and whether or not you think the winger will fit into new manager Steve Cooper's plans.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Kay: I'm really happy with all of our signings, but especially with Abdul. I think Steve Cooper has a very good squad to work with and hopefully we can overcome all of the obstacles and penalties we may face in our first season back in the Premier League.

Tim: Fatawu was a tremendous asset for us last season. He just needs to have a bit more confidence to beat the full-backs not just once, but all game.

Blaz: Let's hope Fatawu can keep his discipline in check. He had some very silly outbursts of frustration last year, but hopefully he has learned from those mistakes. The microscope is about to be magnified in the Premier League, big time.

Mike: It is brilliant to have finally done the deal. He is a fantastic player with loads of potential. I think he will be a great signing for Leicester.

Kiran: Finally it has been sorted! I am so relieved. One more piece of good news coming from the club.

Deano: Great news. Abdul is already popular with the fans and he even has his own song! I'm glad that I will still be singing it next season.

John: It is going to be a hard season but, with Steve Cooper in charge and all of the new signings, I think we will be fine.

Leicester City have made an offer of £21m plus £4m in add-ons for 21-year-old Argentina attacking midfielder Matias Soule, but Juventus want at least a guaranteed £25m. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Italian football journalist Lorenzo Bettoni has been discussing new defender Caleb Okoli on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast:

"He has the most important skill set which is physicality and pace.

"The Premier League is very challenging physically, more than Serie A, and the first thing you need to have is strong physicality to be up to the task, to win challenges, to win duels, so the starting point is good.

"It depends on the project and how the new coach will decide to use Okoli, but he can be quite versatile. He can work pretty well with the backline but I think he needs to improve a little bit in this aspect.

"He is very quick but inside the box he still has a few things to improve, but if he works with this pressure and gets accustomed to this kind of pressure then it can be an exciting move for Leicester City."

Former Foxes player Matt Heath added: "Thinking about a Leicester City defender and what they're going to be up against, they are going to be backs against the wall and not have a lot of possession. We are going to need players like Caleb Okoli in our team.

"We are going to need to win those physical duels. We are going to need to be able to turn and get there first, make those big headers and big tackles. That is really positive [that Okoli is able to do that].

"Lorenzo spoke about the technicality and improvements he might need on the ball, but are we going to have that much possession of the ball? Especially early on in the season when we are just trying to grasp our feet in the Premier League, probably not, so maybe it just might suit his style of play."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Leicester City owner Khun Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha has received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Leicester for his "successful stewardship" of the football club.

Khun Top became CEO of duty-free retailer King Power and chairman of Leicester City in 2018 following the tragic passing of his father Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

Under his chairmanship, Leicester City won the FA Cup for the first time in their history in 2020-21. The Foxes have also qualified for European football a number of times, reaching their first European semi-final in the Europa Conference League in 2021-22.

The owner has also seen the Foxes through some more difficult times, including their relegation to the Championship in 2022-23, but his stewardship saw Leicester City reclaim their spot in the English top-flight at the first time of asking.

After accepting his honorary doctorate at De Montfort Hall on Tuesday, Khun Top said: "I am truly grateful to receive this honour from the University of Leicester - an institution of our city that shares our commitment to excellence, service to our communities and positive social change.

"My congratulations to all of this year's graduates on their outstanding achievements which are the result of years of dedication to their respective fields of expertise.

"I hope their time in the city of Leicester has taught them that everything is possible."

Jack Rafferty
Leicester City presenter at BBC Radio Leicester

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This is the one Leicester City fans have been waiting for.

After Abdul Fatawu's loan spell at King Power Stadium, the supporters already know they are getting a real talent who plays with pace and flair, getting them off their seats time and time again last season.

They say you should never fall in love with a loan player, but that was easier said than done with Fatawu.

He not only provided six goals and 13 assists in the Championship title win, but did so with a huge smile on his face, backflipping to celebrate at every opportunity he could - whether he'd scored the goal or not.

His moves on the pitch, combined with his dancing off it, made him an instant fans' favourite.

At just 20, he has the potential to be a huge star for the Foxes in the Premier League.

To have him signed permanently on a five-year contract is huge news for the club as the team returns to the top flight.

Image source, Getty Images

Abdul Fatawu says it feels "amazing" to be staying at Leicester City after a successful season-long loan spell with the Foxes last season.

The 20-year-old winger has made the permanent move from Sporting Lisbon, swapping the Primeira Liga for the Premier League.

He impressed in the Championship last season - making 40 appearances, scoring six goals and registering 13 assists - as Leicester ensured their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Speaking to the club website, external, the Ghana international revealed why he has "so much motivation" to represent the Foxes in the English top flight: "It is just something new to me and I am going to go hard for that. With the team and everything, I think we are going to be good.

"Last season was amazing and one of the best moments of my career. I just want to keep going. I feel so proud [of my performances last season]. I take it as the beginning because I am just getting started.

"It feels so good to play under the fans. They always give more energy and they motivate you to do more, so they are the best.

What do you make of the news, Leicester fans? Are you relieved that the permanent deal has been confirmed? And how you think Fatawu will fit into Steve Cooper's plans?

Let us know your thoughts here, external

Image source, Getty Images

The football never stops.

Euro 2024 has barely finished but Premier League clubs have already started turning their attention to pre-season friendlies.

The games are spread across the globe, from Tokyo and New York to Sligo and Crawley.

So who will your team face? And when and where are the matches?

Keep across all the fixtures and results here

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester will play Italian side Palermo in a pre-season friendly on Friday, 26 July at Chesterfield’s SMH Group Stadium [19:00 BST].

Palermo - part of the City Football Group - finished sixth in Serie B last season.

The match completes the full pre-season schedule for Steve Cooper’s side.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Foxes striker Steve Howard has been talking to BBC Radio Leicester's Owynn Palmer-Atkin about joining the football club back in January 2008.

Leicester City have spent all but one season within the top two tiers of English football since joining the Football League in 1894, with the 2008-09 season being the club's only spell in the third tier.

Howard revealed what sparked his move away from Derby County to Leicester City on the When You're Smiling podcast: "It came about because I missed a penalty for Derby in the Premier League!

"Then I got a phone call from Paul Jewell, who was Derby manager at the time, and the first thing I said to him was: 'Gaffer, I'm sorry. I will work on that in training'.

"He said 'no Steve, I need you to report to Leicester in the morning'. I asked him if we were training down there and he said 'no, I have sold you'.

"Derby were in the Premier League and I didn't want to leave, but I didn't want to stay somewhere where the manager didn't want us.

"I rang my agent, asked him to explain what was happening, he explained it, and I just thought 'Leicester. A massive club like Leicester? Yeah, I'll have that!

"So then I turned up the next day, met Ian Holloway [former Leicester City manager] and signed for Leicester."

Listen to the rest of Steve Howard's Foxes journey on BBC Sounds

When You're Smiling podcast continues the Made in Leicester series as Matt Piper catches up with ex-Foxes forward Jon Stevenson.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport Football News Reporter

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Wilfred Ndidi's decision to stay at Leicester removes what could have been a large headache for boss Steve Cooper.

There was a degree of expectation, certainly during the course of last season, the midfielder would leave after seven-and-a-half regardless of promotion.

If he can rediscover the form that he showed in his early days at the King Power Stadium where he was their midfield enforcer, it is a coup.

It stops Cooper from searching for a potentially expensive replacement just five weeks before the start of the season, especially having lost Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea already this month.

Cooper's squad is slowly coming together after the arrivals of Michael Goulding from Chelsea, Caleb Okoli from Atalanta and Bobby Decordova-Reid's arrival on a free from Fulham.

Interest in Juve's Matias Soule could also pick up with Juventus ready to sell the 21-year-old Argentine, although a price tag that could exceed €30m might prove prohibitive for the Foxes.

Cooper has given everyone a blank slate and those who are in form will be the ones who will play. Ndidi should be one of his key lieutenants next season.

Image source, Getty Images

Wilfred Ndidi says he has "unfinished business" at Leicester City after signing a new three-year contract at King Power Stadium.

Speaking to the club website, external, the defensive midfielder said: "There have been great memories [at the club] and I'm looking forward to what we are going to create going forward.

"I feel great, I feel excited, I feel at home. That is the most important thing.

"We know this is where we belong. It's just that unfinished business that we have to continue."

His new contract could see him complete 10 years of service at Leicester City, and the Nigerian added: "It was quite an easy decision because my family is settled here, my daughter is going to school.

"It is kind of relaxed because I know that my family is sorted on the other side. It means that I can actually just focus on football."

Ndidi also revealed he has already spoken to new manager Steve Cooper.

"He shared some good ideas with me. He is a great guy. He is funny. I'm actually looking forward to working with him. It is very exciting," said the 27-year-old.

"We know the Premier League is where we belong. We will try our best to also keep it that way, because we want to be here and we want to stay here."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has signed a new three-year deal at Leicester City.

The Nigeria international had been linked with a move away from King Power Stadium, despite the Foxes' promotion back to the Premier League.

But he has agreed terms until 2027 to end speculation over his future, after his previous contract expired last month.

Ndidi has made 273 appearances for Leicester since joining from Belgian side Genk in January 2017, scoring 17 goals and registering 17 assists along the way.

The 27-year-old helped the club win the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2021, while he was also key in their Championship title win last season as the Foxes returned to the top flight at the first time of asking.

"I feel great, I feel excited, I feel at home," Ndidi told the club website. "That is the most important thing. I feel really happy to continue with the club.

"My family is settled here and when everyone back home says 'Ndidi', they say 'Leicester' also"

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Wilfred Ndidi is expected to decide his future at Leicester City in the next few days.

The 27-year-old midfielder has been in extensive talks with the Foxes over a new deal but has also seen a host of clubs fighting for his signature.

Ndidi has been impressed with Leicester's efforts to keep him but also held exploratory talks with Marseille and Everton – while other big clubs are waiting in the wings to exploit any late change of mind.

It has reached crunch time in the negotiations after his previous deal at the King Power stadium expired on 30 June.

We asked for your views on Leicester City's summer transfer business so far, after Caleb Okoli became Steve Cooper's third signing of the window, and whether the Foxes need to strengthen in any other areas before their return to the Premier League.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Alex: I'm fairly happy with the business so far. It is really good that the transfers are being done early and, so far, they have been relatively inexpensive (without knowing the price of Okoli). However, both Okoli and Michael Golding are unproven at this level, so I'm concerned about how they will perform in the Premier League. Only time will tell...

Neil: It is good that we have got our new signings in early so they can blend in with the team.

Wes: These new additions seem to be, from the surface, very good players who are versatile with a lot to offer and capable of future growth.

Ketan: Signing Okoli is not bad business at all, but what is happening with signing Abdul Fatawu?

Kiran: Leicester should now be thinking about selling Patson Daka and Harry Souttar to try to balance the books. They should also try to buy an experienced goalkeeper as a number two to Mads Hermansen.

Ben: My wishlist is another winger, midfielder and striker. I don't mind us not getting a midfielder or a winger, but we really need a striker! If we can get another striker, I will maybe start believing we can survive.