Leicester City play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, in what is their second meeting in the space of a week.
Going into the weekend, Man Utd sit in 13th place in the Premier League table and are currently two points ahead of the Foxes in 15th.
It will be another tough test for the Midlands outfit, who were beaten 5-2 by the Red Devils last week.
Here are Steve Cooper’s key quotes, as per Leicestershire Live, ahead of the game against Sheffield United…
Leicester City team news ahead of Manchester United
Cooper has a couple of injury concerns going into the game with Man Utd.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid missed out against Ipswich and remains a doubt for Sunday.
Cooper said: “Bobby missed Ipswich and still hasn’t returned to the grass. He picked up a nasty wound in the cup game. It’s on his Achilles in an awkward position as it keeps opening up. We’re hoping that heals quickly.”
The Leicester boss also provided an update on the recently returned Patson Daka, stating: “He’s an asset for the team and it’s great to have him back. He’s a good guy who has certain attributes. He’ll be a great option.
“It is tempting to throw him straight back in, but we don’t want to do that to the detriment of getting him fully fit. It was quite a serious injury so we have to be careful. We’re cooperating with the medical team. He’s looking sharp and that will grow.”
Steve Cooper praise for Jordan Ayew
Leicester signed Jordan Ayew from Crystal Palace over the summer for around £8m.
His move to the King Power seemed somewhat strange at the time but he has proven to be one of Leicester’s best summer signings.
Speaking on Ayew ahead of Manchester United, Cooper said: “We knew we needed to bring in, as well as young players for the future, the experience. I was asked about the composure Jordan and Vards showed and that was built on experience.
“We’re delighted with Jordan because he can deliver and he knows what it takes. He’s very much about the team and the greater good. It can’t be about individuals. The more time he’s here, the more that will grow. Some important moments so far and there will be more to come.”
Steve Cooper answered Facundo Buonanotte transfer question
Facundo Buonanotte moved to Leicester on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this year and has been a revelation for the club.
This week, Buonanotte’s asking price was revealed and fans would no doubt love to see the Argentine secured on a permanent deal.
But when asked about a potential move for the loanee on Friday, Cooper gave a rather coy response.
He said: “That’s not for me. While he’s here, we treat him like he’s our own. We’ve got a good relationship with Brighton.”
Leicester City have already begun making plans for the 2025 January transfer window.
Leicester City brought nine players to the King Power Stadium in the most recent transfer window.
Most of those players have shone since arriving in the Midlands, with Facundo Buonanotte’s staggering transfer value now revealed after he has shone in the early stages of 2024/25.
Elsewhere, despite initial skepticism around his move from Crystal Palace, Jordan Ayew has been ‘so key’ for Leicester this term.
With the winter window edging ever closer, meanwhile, the Foxes are already seemingly making plans to bring in fresh reinforcements.
Leicester have a chance to sign Mostafa Mohamed after they missed out on the striker in the previous window.
In a bid to solve their issues at right-back, Leicester could sign Archie Gray from Tottenham Hotspur on loan amid his struggles in north London.
Leicester City keen on Bayern Munich gem Mathys Tel
Now, a fresh name has been linked with a move to Leicester this week in the form of Mathys Tel.
The 19-year-old joined current club Bayern Munich from Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennais in 2022 and is currently earning £79k-a-week in Germany, according to Capology.
However, the teenager is finding minutes hard to come by in 2024/25, playing just 112 minutes of Bundesliga action across four outings to date.
In turn, Caught Offside are now reporting that a quartet of Premier League clubs, which includes Leicester, are keen on the winger.
Tel is expected to be made available for loan in the upcoming transfer window in order to garner more first-team action.
Bayern’s stance on a permanent sale is clear, with the German side adamant only a loan move would be sanctioned.
What Mathys Tel would offer Leicester City
Tel is a natural left winger but his versatility means he can operate as a centre-forward or on the opposite flank just as well.
The Frenchman has 95 total career appearances to his name, in which he has scored 25 goals and provided six assists.
To get an idea of the type of player Tel is, we have used Fbref – a football data site which has the option to view and compare players via their stats.
And when looking at similar players to the Bayern gem, the list is pretty impressive.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz is the most similar player to the Leicester target, with Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi, AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, Ademola Lookman of Atalanta BC and Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia making up the rest of the top five.
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