The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast has landed on BBC Sounds.
Former Foxes winger Matt Piper sat down with Owynn Palmer-Atkin to react to Jamie Vardy and Jannik Vestergaard signing new contracts, and the confirmed departures of Marc Albrighton, Kelechi Iheanacho and Dennis Praet.
Listen to the full episode here
Leicester City have identified former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter as a potential Enzo Maresca successor but are also considering other targets, including ex-Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper. (Guardian), external
Want more transfer stories and gossip? Read Tuesday's full column
Image source, PA MediaFormer Premier League winner Marc Albrighton is one of three senior players leaving Leicester City when their contracts expire at the end of June.
Albrighton spent 10 years with the Foxes and was a key member of their 2015-16 title-winning side, while he also came on as a substitute in Leicester's 2021 FA Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.
Striker Kelechi Iheanacho will be bringing his seven-year stint with the club to an end, while midfielder Dennis Praet will depart after five years at King Power Stadium.
The club remains in discussions with midfielder Wilfred Ndidi over extending his stay, while centre-back Jannik Vestergaard has agreed a new three-year deal.
Image source, Getty ImagesAs Leicester striker Jamie Vardy extends his stay into a 13th season with the Foxes, here is a selection of his key moments during his career with the club:
Joined Leicester from Fleetwood Town in 2012, when the Foxes were managed by Nigel Pearson in the Championship.
Scored his first Leicester goal against Torquay in the League Cup in August 2012.
In 2014, Vardy helped the Foxes secure the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League.
The 2014-15 season saw Vardy help Leicester in their relegation 'Great Escape'.
He made his England debut against the Republic of Ireland in 2015.
In a remarkable 2015-16 season, the forward spearheaded Leicester's charge to the Premier League title and broke Ruud van Nistelrooy's record for scoring in the most consecutive Premier League games.
Netted his first international goal against Germany in 2016.
His first Champions League goal came in February 2017 as the Foxes reached the last eight of the competition.
Lifted the FA Cup for the first time in 2021, playing in the final victory against Chelsea at Wembley.
After Leicester were relegated in 2023, Vardy scored 18 league goals as the Foxes won the Championship title to secure an immediate return to the top flight.
Image source, Getty ImagesJamie Vardy says there is "still more to come" from him after he signed a new one-year deal at Leicester City, which will take him into his 13th season with the Premier League club.
Vardy scored 24 goals in Leicester's Premier League title-winning campaign of 2015-16 and helped the club to the Championship title last season.
Speaking to the club's official website, the 37-year-old said: "To get the numbers that I did [last season] I'm delighted with it, but there's still more to come. I look after myself - I've always said that age is just a number.
"My legs feel fine so that's why I carry on, until my legs say 'that's it, game over'. There will be a day when that comes - but that's not right now.
"We look forward to another season in the Premier League and seeing what we can do. 100%, it's the best league in the world. That's where you want to be playing your football," he added.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe 2023-24 Premier League season may have only just finished but there is only 10 weeks until the 2024-25 season is scheduled to start.
So what are the key dates that you need to know?
The 2024-25 Premier League campaign will get under way during the weekend of 17-18 August.
It will take place over 33 weekends, with four midweek rounds and one Bank Holiday matchweek.
To allow for a mid-August start, there will not be a 'winter break' this time around. However, to avoid Christmas and New Year fixture congestion, the league will give more rest time to sides over three of the festive match rounds, with no club playing within 60 hours of another match.
The final round of fixtures will be played on Sunday, 25 May 2025, with all games to kick off at the same time.
09:00 BST on Tuesday, 18 June.
We will have all the details here for your club as soon as the fixtures are released.
Sign up for news notifications to find out all the key fixtures
The summer window will officially open on Friday, 14 June, which also happens to be the start of Euro 2024, and will remain open until Friday, 30 August at 23:00 BST.
Transfer deadline day has been brought forward this year to be in line with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Follow your club page and make sure your notifications are on so you don't miss a transfer deal.
Six Premier League clubs - Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester - face having to sell players before the end of June in order to comply with the division's Profit and Sustainability Rules. (Sky Sports), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesWith the search on to find Leicester's new manager following the departure of Enzo Maresca, we asked you who you would prefer to see as the Foxes' next boss.
At the time of writing, former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter was leading the way of the six choices with 37%, with David Moyes second on 23% and Steve Cooper third at 12%.
We asked what you think the summer priority is for promoted Leicester City.
Here is a selection of your responses:
Tom: Disappointed on Maresca. Obvious priority is a new manager. David Moyes has clear strengths but would demonstrate the club have no unified direction. My preference would be to sort the 'back office' out to reduce the risk of ongoing financial mismanagement continuing. There has to be accountability to the shocking accounting.
Lucifer: Finding a new manager or keeping Abdul Fatawu on a permanent deal. He's only 20 yet he's banging in goals and assists. Special player he is, need him if we want to stay in the Premier League next season, but right now I would focus on getting a new manager.
Phil: Keeping hold of Vardy is number one priority and, if it's not too late, Marc Albrighton should also remain for another season. I watched the last game of the season and his sub appearance just showed what he's worth. What a crosser of the ball he is still. The rest will then follow.
Keith: A new manager/head coach is critical - get the right person, but quickly! So many players are out of contract, so few saleable assets, likely points deduction - not the easiest sell for the board to a candidate!
John: The priority is to sort the manager and get players in and out that they are comfortable with. If sanctions are coming then the owners need to address and mitigate this as much as possible so any penalty is a one-off and the manager, squad and supporters know where we are. We do not want drip, drip point deductions.
Image source, Getty ImagesNow that the Leicester City managerial seat is empty following Enzo Maresca's move to Chelsea, who would you like to see become the new Foxes boss?
Image source, Getty ImagesTactics guru Dominic Wells has been analysing three of the rumoured targets for Leicester City's vacant managerial role on the latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.
Carlos Corberan
"Corberan is a bit more pragmatic in his approach. I think Enzo Maresca is an idealistic coach, he has one way of playing and if it works then it works.
"He has mostly played a 4-2-3-1 formation, which Brendan Rodgers used quite often during his time at Leicester City, but it does differ from how Enzo Maresca lines up in that 3-2-4-1.
"Corberan does have a lot of ideals that match how Enzo wants to play. He tries to create a back three in defence, with either a defensive midfielder dropping between the centre-backs or elbow defenders.
"His idea is to bait the press like Maresca did. He wants to create these 'artificial transitions' where the opposition steps onto you and then you can play through them."
Steve Cooper
"When Forest first got promoted, Cooper tried the high press but they just didn't have the players to do that. When they lost possession in an attacking turnover, they would just get played through the centre of the park.
"He changed it and went to a 4-3-3 with a very narrow second line, packing the middle of the pitch, which actually had a very positive effect. But, whilst maintaining a little bit more defensive solidity, they lost all of their creation.
"Data shows that Cooper struggles to find the balance between being defensively solid and creating chances in an attacking sense. He has shown both extremes.
"When he sets up defensively, he is really good at limiting the opposition and I think that is something Leicester City have to be thinking about for next season. However, with that comes a lack of attacking impetus."
Ruud van Nistelrooy
"He does what Maresca does, in terms of trying to create overloads in the build-up. He wants to have one extra player versus the opposition. He wants to control the ball as well. PSV had the fourth-highest possession in that season he managed in the Eredivisie.
"He did invert full-backs because he wanted to create wide isolations for his wingers, which Leicester did last season as well, and he also wanted to have them play in the half-space and be playmakers.
"He is a massive advocate of letting the wingers have freedom by letting them get the ball and take on their marker. Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu both had excellent seasons playing that role.
"Something that really worries me about Van Nistelrooy is his out-of-possession approach. At PSV, he would go man-to-man but drop off the midfield and defensive line. They would just retreat to try to stop counter-attacks. This gave the opposition so much control of the game."
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty ImagesI was saddened to hear that Leicester City might be made to sell Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, their player of the year last season.
He is a quality footballer with great vision and he is just coming to the peak of his career. There are plenty of clubs out there who would snap him up.
Clearly Leicester would prefer not to sell him, but the Premier League's spending rules might mean they have little or no choice. This is a bitter pill to swallow for Leicester fans, on top of the probability of being docked points even before the season starts.
Many fans find VAR the most annoying thing in football but, out with diving cheats getting away with their scandalous pathetic sham antics, financial rules randomly being imposed on Premier League teams have really got me.
They are spoiling the dream more than anything.
The rules were supposed to help teams compete but it is having the opposite effect on everyone. Unintended consequences of what seem to be honest and well-intentioned ideas are football's Achilles' heel.
We may also have the prospect of the Independent Football Regulator idea being reheated in the UK. This is another well-intentioned concept that, if I'm honest, I now mostly wish would go away.
Politicians meddling in football has so many hidden dangers and I am truly concerned about its long-term effects on the game, however well-intentioned initially.
Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra newsletter
The club summer is off and running, so what's the first thing that needs sorting out at Leicester City?
Is it a contract, a transfer, a fan issue or something else?
Image source, Getty ImagesEnzo Maresca has been appointed by Chelsea as their new manager on a five-year contract, just a few weeks after leading Leicester City to the Championship title.
"I'm a little bit disappointed, because I did like Enzo, but at the same time I'm excited," former Foxes winger Matt Piper told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.
"When Brendan Rodgers was messing about, I said that managers come and go. They just do in football. This has been a bit sooner than we all hoped, but it is the club, the players and the fans that are important.
"Now it is an exciting time to bring someone new in.
"I think it might be quite difficult to convince certain coaches that we will be going after, especially if they haven't got the backing in the transfer market. The [possible] points deduction as well, but I don't think that is as important because a coach will back himself.
"It is going to be a difficult month or two months, I think, as the club tries to get the right guy in position."
Following the news that Enzo Maresca has left Leicester City to become the new Chelsea manager we asked for your views on who should be next up.
Here are some of your responses:
Mike: Graham Potter would be the ideal appointment. However with FFP points deduction and uncertainty regarding the transfer budget I think he’s unlikely to be tempted Steve Cooper may be the only realistic option, but with association to Nottingham Forest he will not be universally accepted by the Foxes faithful.
Peter: Potter may want a bigger club but he had success with Brighton, a similar club with great owners. Leicester have great owners who will give wholehearted support to whoever they appoint. Seems like the perfect fit for both parties.
John: The target next season has to be to survive in the Premier League. So for that reason and that reason alone I would try and get David Moyes to be the next manager. Given we will start with a points deduction, the football needs to be result-driven not on style of play. Also, he is a free agent and we have no money to pay a release clause.
Tom: Sad to see Enzo go but we will move on. Oscar Garcia has not been mentioned, but has done a great job at our friends OH Leuven in the short time he’s been there. Could be a shrewd, budget friendly appointment. Otherwise, let’s look at solid coaches, perhaps Nelson Vivas, Ruud van Nistelrooy or a return for Esteban Cambiasso.
Carl: We should definitely go for Cooper, despite his Forest history. He is a proper football man, with an excellent CV. He’s had a break from management, so I’m sure he’ll be thinking about getting back into the game by now. LCFC should get that deal done asap, before another club takes him.
Joe: If we want to go ambitious, try for Potter. If we want to try and stay/survive in the league, I’d go all in for a two-year deal with Moyes. I’m also hopeful some of our forgotten men get a chance now, particularly Harry Souttar.
Will: The sensible option is someone out of work, like Van Nistelrooy, so we can pocket the difference and comply with profit and sustainability regulations. The likely option is someone rated but in employment like Carlos Corberan. The financially irresponsible thing to do would be to throw money at an established name like Sarri and strap ourselves in for the ride. Option three please!
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport Football News Reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester were naturally disappointed to lose Enzo Maresca just a year after arriving from Manchester City.
While Maresca had made noises about being unhappy with some issues that arose during last season's title-winning campaign, they had been resolved.
Once the successful first year under the head coach had ended with Leicester back in the Premier League, discussions were held about the future. Clarity was reached, commitments had been made and plans were being constructed for next season, with survival the paramount goal.
Yet when Chelsea came calling, the situation changed and Maresca made it clear his preference would be to move on.
There is no bad blood and Leicester are grateful for his work to get them promoted.
They accept it is the nature of football business and now move on to his successor.
Enzo Maresca's departure as Leicester City boss has been confirmed.
"Given the promising foundations established during his single season in charge, the Club is disappointed that Enzo has decided at this stage that he no longer wants to be part of our vision," the club said in a statement.
Who will take charge on their return to the Premier League?
Who do you think is the right manager for the job?
A three-part documentary looking back on Leicester City's 2023-24 Championship winning campaign has dropped.
From relegation to champions, the podcast covers it all.
Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca will be announced as the new Chelsea coach on Monday, having signed a five-year contract. (Fabrizio Romano), external
