Leicester City

Leicester boss Steve Cooper says new loan signing Facundo Buonanotte fits the attacking midfielder profile they needed to find this summer.

"We have said from day one that we need players in certain positions because some players have had to play out of position during pre-season," Cooper told BBC Radio Leicester following the pre-season defeat to Lens.

"He is a young player but he has Premier League experience too. He is someone the club identified and we are really pleased that he is here."

The 19-year-old signed from Brighton on Saturday and could make his debut for the Foxes in their opening game of the season at home to Tottenham on Monday, 19 August.

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling Podcast on BBC Sounds

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester manager Dean Smith says he tried to sign Jamie Vardy for his current club FC Charlotte and has paid tribute to his former assistant Craig Shakespeare.

Smith, 53, had hoped to bring Vardy to the United States with him but believes the Foxes' promotion denied him the chance of tempting the 37-year-old marksman to Major League Soccer.

When asked about his former striker at the US Bank Stadium in Charlotte, where his Charlotte team play, Smith said: “I did text him and see if he wanted to come over to America, but I knew that was going to be hard once he took Leicester back to the Premier League.

“It's just his enthusiasm for the game, he doesn't train as much as he used to and he won't get as many minutes as he used to, but if he's used right he'll be really, really good [this season]. You saw the goals he scored in the Championship last year.”

Smith also paid tribute to Shakespeare who was his long-time assistant at both Leicester and Aston Villa in the Premier League but has passed away last week aged 60.

He added: "Craig was a very close friend of mine. As are [his wife] Karen, [and kids] Elle and Jed. It's been a really tough time over the last nine or ten months. He was taken too soon from us.

“I can't speak highly enough of him. I was actually his boot boy at Walsall and we played together there. He then became a coach with me at Aston Villa, Norwich and Leicester. I am just heartbroken that he's been taken too soon from us.

“As a coach, the way he was with players and people, he got the best out of them. He knew and understood the game really well. He was instrumental in Leicester winning the Premier League. He was instrumental with players like Harry Maguire, who he signed at Leicester.

“There are so many players who have sent so many messages to the family, Jack Grealish included. I spoke to John Terry the other day and he was heartbroken, as we all are.

“He will be remembered by me for his humbleness but also his humour. He was the best-timed comedian ever and at times even through his illness he would make fun of cancer, and that was the sort of guy he was.”

Leicester City have reached agreement with Bayer Leverkusen over a loan with an obligation to buy their Czech Republic striker Adam Hlozek. The Foxes still need to agree terms with the 22-year-old. (Sky Germany), external

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

The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast is now available on BBC Sounds.

Owynn Palmer-Atkin, former Foxes winger Matt Piper and actor Tom Hendryk start the countdown to Leicester City's return to the Premier League, with one week to go until the Foxes face Tottenham in their season opener.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

After a long summer break, BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club is back in action this evening.

Tune in as the panel cover all the major talking points from the summer and look ahead to Premier League football returning at the weekend.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

BBC Sport's experts have been considering which young players may become big names this season.

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Leicester's signing of Michael Golding from Chelsea last month was an intriguing one.

The 18-year-old did not make a lasting impression on the first team at Stamford Bridge - making just one appearance as an 89th-minute substitute in a 4-0 FA Cup win over Preston - but has plenty of youth experience with England's age groups.

He will not be expected to fill the gap left by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who joined Chelsea in July, but as a midfielder who can play as a 10 or a number eight, there is potential for him to become the next box-to-box star for the Foxes.

See who else our experts picked here

Image source, Getty Images

The curtain opens on the 2024-25 Premier League season in just a matter of days, so why not take a look at how all 20 clubs performed in pre-season?

The games have been spread across the globe, from Tokyo and New York to Crawley and Preston.

See the results here

Leicester City boss Steve Cooper speaking to BBC Radio Leicester's Owynn Palmer-Atkin after their defeat by Lens on Saturday: "Tough day. It was the challenge we needed and type of game we needed, playing against a good team that plays in Europe.

"But, in terms of performance, nothing good about our in-possession game. The game demanded a much more intense in-possession game. We wanted to play quick and they didn’t allow that but we need to play quicker and find spaces quicker and that fell short.

"We defended more in the first half than was the plan, but we did do OK defensively. There are some half decent things to take from that. There was just some really weak things in the start of the second half and some attributes to that I didn’t like at all.

"The only good thing from the game is that it will be an even tougher game next week and, with that in mind, we have to improve massively and I have challenged everybody to look at today for a refence point and to go - 'I’m glad that happened because we got it out of the way for what the season brings'.

"We know where we are with the squad and we just have to keep going. We're crying out for fresh blood, the players are too.

"We are desperate for it in some areas of the pitch and this was another example of that."

On if he has seen the required level yet for the Premier League?: "Time will tell on that.

"All I do know is things are not where we want them to be and we know why. Some areas we haven't reached the potential yet and we know why and we need to make the squad stronger.

"That is what you need when you step up if you want to give yourself the chance to succeed in the league."

Listen to the full episode of When You're Smiling on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's pre-season friendly between RC Lens and Leicester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Jason: Clueless. I’m a season ticket holder and dreading the first game of the season as it appears we have no striker, and even if we did, we have little creativity.

Filberts: It seems this season has the makings of being a nightmare in so many ways, especially in comparison to last season. Last season, albeit in the Championship, was a delight. We we worried losing 11 games! This season, the worry? Winning one game! Keep the faith.

Steve: The poor displays continue. Two shots in 90 minutes is just awful, and at present I can't see goals coming from anywhere. Lens were dominant in every aspect. Stronger, better organised, technically superior, and way more desire. Steve Cooper had no plan A or B, a week before the season starts? Woeful.

Andrew: Not looking good, no goals again. Not much threat, the signings are uninspiring. We look like fodder for the rest of the Premier League teams.

Vinny: I’m hoping that these friendlies are being used by Cooper to establish who shouldn’t be anywhere near the starting XI, otherwise we’re in for quite a battering when we play Spurs in a weeks time. I hope the rumours of Zaha are true. We look toothless up front.

Dave: Extremely poor. No passion. No plan. No evidence of a coherent style of play. My only hope is it is a strategy to confuse the opposition in the first few games.

Leicester are keen on Roma's 26-year-old English striker Tammy Abraham but face competition from AC Milan, Everton and Bournemouth. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Leicester City have made a £23.2m bid for 24-year-old Panathinaikos and Greece striker Fotis Ioannidis as they continue talks to try to bring in Ivory Coast winger Wilfried Zaha, 31, from Galatasaray. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

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

BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast offers post-match analysis after a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Lens to finish pre-season.

Former Foxes winger Matt Piper offers his assessment, plus hear from boss Steve Cooper.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Leicester wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a heavy defeat in France to Ligue 1 side Lens.

How concerned are you about the performance, Foxes fans?

Or are Steve Cooper's side ready for the new season?

Let us know your thoughts here, external - and return on Monday to read the submissions

Premier League clubs are hard at work preparing for the 2024-25 season, and the promoted teams are no exception.

Here's who the Premier League newcomers are playing in pre-season friendlies on Saturday.

All times BST

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Teenage midfielder Will Alves has signed a new four-year contract with Leicester City.

Alves, 19, has made two substitute appearances for the first team in cup competitions and, having been around Leicester's Championship-winning squad last season, is eager for more senior action in 2024-25.

"Being in and around it last year was unbelievable for me just to be around the celebrations and seeing what the lads did last season," he told club media.

"Learning from all the different players here is great for me, I couldn't be in a better position. Being able to play with the players that I have been watching and being a Leicester fan and having this opportunity, it's unbelievable.

"I just want to keep going, keep working hard throughout these next few years and hopefully get more chances soon with the first team. I want to be playing as much first-team football as possible, trying to get some minutes.

"That's the main thing for me, trying to play men's football, that's where I'll learn best."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester City and current Cambridge United defender Michael Morrison expects an improved Foxes performance in their pre-season friendly in France against Ligue 1 side Lens on Saturday.

Leicester slumped to a 1-0 defeat by Augsburg after their training camp in Germany, but Morrison believes the circumstances around the two games are very different.

"When you're in a training camp, sometimes when you're in the lead up to games you probably aren't as fresh as you'd like to be," he told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.

"They may have had a session in the morning before, certainly the day before won't be a normal 'minus one matchday' session and there might be a bit of fatigue in your legs.

"I expect this one to be where Steve Cooper shows his hand a bit more in terms of what team he will play next week and then it will be down to the players. You know you have a foot in the door and it's all about grabbing that shirt now."

"I'm expecting a better performance. You can't look at results too much but it's always nice to go into the season with a win."

Leicester open their Premier League season on Monday, 19 August at home to Tottenham.

"You want to see a cohesive performance [in the friendly] and if you're the manager, you're more concerned with the performance than the result," Morrison added.

"That might dictate that you change the team around at some point because you're thinking 'we've got Tottenham and we might do this in the 60th minute or this in the 70th minute' so it's a bit of a dummy run for what you're planning on doing.

"We're not really sure what Leicester we are going to see and that can be a positive because you're the unknown. They need to use that as best as they can."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Leicester City are nearing a loan deal for 19-year-old Argentina and Brighton midfielder Facundo Buonanotte. (Mail), external

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

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Right now, brinkmanship is the name of the game. There have been times when some clubs sorted their transfer business early in the window and everyone wondered why so few others followed their lead. Put simply, it isn't in the selling clubs' financial interest, and it usually isn't in the moving player's financial interest either, to go early.

A selling club wants a bidding war to up the price and they don't mind a bit of panic buying when the window is creaking ever nearer the sill. If you still haven't signed that star player who you think, hope or maybe even actually believe, will make all the difference, clubs can get twitchy and make rash costly decisions.

I have watched it happen from within. Good intentions and a willingness to stick to a pre-arranged budget, suddenly evaporates when clubs are bounced into making these calls. There is also a bit of pride in there too. "We aren't losing out on our first choice to that lot!" is a common refrain, especially when it's to one of your close rivals.

As for the moving player, or more specifically his agent, last-minute brinkmanship is the dream scenario. Playing two or three suitors off against each other (and you don't even have to tell the truth of what you are being offered elsewhere) means you can exaggerate as much as you like to up the ante.

So that is why the deals go to the wire, and why they are so lucrative. It is also why I never have too much sympathy for a player, when a huge deal falls through at the last moment. Greed can push it too far in the end and it can all come crashing down, which is why they call it brinkmanship! If you dance on the edge of a volcano you might just fall in.

Leicester City have made an enquiry with Ajax over the availability of 26-year-old Netherlands forward Steven Bergwijn. (Fabrizio Romano), external

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

Owynn Palmer-Atkin
BBC Radio Leicester reporter

The Premier League season is fast approaching and there is still lots of work for Steve Cooper to do before Tottenham arrive at King Power Stadium on 19 August.

It is very clear that the Foxes are lacking creativity from a recognised "number 10". It is an area of the squad that Cooper has told us that he wants to recruit.

The problem comes from the switch in formation. Last season under Enzo Maresca, the Foxes operated out of a 3-2-4-1 system, that utilised two "sixes" and two "eights". This created a box midfield, one capable of overloading any area of the pitch instantly but also omits one of the most difficult players to find, the lone "10" behind the striker.

Under Cooper, this is going to change. Back is the 4-2-3-1 formation that relies heavily on the "10" to take the ball and be the creative heartbeat in attacking phases of play.

How Leicester City would love to be able to call on James Maddison right now.

Following the 1-0 defeat by Augsburg in their penultimate pre-season game, it underlined the critical nature of being able to bring in the right profile of player to give some much needed spark.

The final issue is that these players do not come cheap.

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, fan group Union FS discussed the growing success of the singing section at King Power Stadium, which has been running for two seasons:

"It's come on a long way. You can really tell that there's been an improvement in each season.

"At the end of last season, it was quite telling with the amount of time Enzo [Maresca] and the players spent with the section during the trophy lap of honour. That was quite telling of how much of an impact it's had on the pitch.

"It's not just off the pitch, it's how it translates to the players and the fact we've had appreciation from them shows how the section has gone and how it's been received.

"Other fans have probably seen that and maybe made them appreciate it more and want to get involved more. If the players clearly appreciate this then that's how we can help them.

"That was the aim of the singing section when we set it up, to increase the support for the players on the pitch and moments like that are just nice.

"It's been a much more enjoyable way of watching and it can hopefully carry on next season."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Leicester City defender Conor Coady has been discussing his experience so far at King Power Stadium with summer signing Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

The former England international joined the Foxes after a long spell with Wolves, who he captained in both the Premier League and Europa League.

Speaking on the Foxes' club website,, external Coady feels Leicester City is "a little bit different" to any of his previous clubs. "It's something that I experienced last year with the boys, the club and the owner," he said.

"It's things like how much the club is together, the family feel at the club and what it's like on matchdays when your partner comes down onto the pitch afterwards.

"It is all of those different things and it is an incredible feeling," he assured De Cordova-Reid, who joined as a free agent after leaving Fulham. "So when we can get it going, it will be top drawer - it really will."

De Cordova-Reid agreed with his team-mate, adding: "I definitely think that is going to have a massive part to play.

"Obviously it is going to be a tough season in the Premier League, so we are going to have to hit the ground running. So to have that togetherness and everyone feeling like they are together, it obviously helps."

Coady replied: "Honestly, having you here really helps us. We are buzzing you are here - I'm buzzing you are here - when I saw you were signing, I thought: 'Yeah, I would love a bit of that'. So, let's have a good season."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper has been discussing the difficulties that the Foxes might be having in their search for a new number 10.

Earlier in pre-season, boss Steve Cooper told BBC Radio Leicester: "I don't mind saying that we do need to add there. We are playing players in the number 10 that wouldn't naturally play there all the time, so that's certainly an area of the pitch we are looking at."

Piper explained why it might be "taking a bit of time" for the club to find the right fit, telling the latest When You're Smiling podcast: "I'm hoping it happens this week.

"Cooper has already sent a little message to the club to let them know that for the 4-2-3-1 system, it doesn't work unless you have the type of player that can take it on his back foot and be clever, creative and intelligent on the ball.

"Currently, the players we are using in there - as the manager has said himself - are not natural number 10s. Guys that haven't played there on a consistent basis seem to run around aimlessly and never get the ball.

"For example, if you look up and see they aren't in the right position, you will think twice about giving it to them because if they lose it, the gaffer will blame you."

The former City player added: "Finding a number 10 is very difficult and that is why they generally go for the most money.

"Cooper had an unbelievable number 10 in Morgan Gibbs-White at Nottingham Forest. That is the sort of player they will be looking for. Forest paid £40m for him, a player that wasn't getting much game time at Wolves, so that shows you these players demand a high price.

"I think that might be why it's taking a bit of time to try to find the right fit."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds