We rounded up all the latest news from Leicester City.
Leicester City are on the brink of achieving promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
The Foxes enjoyed an outstanding first half of the season, and it looked as though they would run away with the Championship title, but a run of six defeats in 10 games saw their lead at the top cut significantly.
However, after beating West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Leicester secured their second consecutive victory with an emphatic 5-0 win over Southampton at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night.
It was an excellent performance from the Foxes against a Saints side who still had an outside chance of automatic promotion themselves, and a hat-trick from Abdul Fatawu and goals from Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy sealed all three points for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Leicester currently sit top of the table, four points clear of second-placed Leeds United and five points clear of third-placed Ipswich Town, and they need just one more win to seal promotion.
| Championship Table (As it stands April 23rd) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 44 | 47 | 94 |
| 2 | Leeds United | 44 | 43 | 90 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 43 | 32 | 89 |
| 4 | Southampton | 44 | 24 | 84 |
| 5 | West Brom | 44 | 23 | 72 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 44 | 16 | 72 |
| 7 | Hull City | 43 | 8 | 66 |
| 8 | Coventry City | 42 | 14 | 63 |
The Foxes’ promotion will be confirmed if Leeds lose at Queens Park Rangers on Friday night, but even if the Whites win, Leicester can secure their Premier League return with a victory at Preston North End on Monday night.
Ahead of what could be a week of celebrations for the club, we rounded up all the latest news from the King Power Stadium.
Maresca makes promotion admission
Speaking after the win over Southampton, Maresca admitted that his side have almost got the job done, and he surprisingly claimed that the performance against the Saints was not their best of the season.
“The good thing now is that we are nearly there, we just need one more win to finish our job and hopefully that will be in the next game against Preston away,” Maresca told the BBC.
“Most of the time people judge the results. I think the performance was good but I don’t think it was our best performance of the season.
“But overall it was a fantastic performance on the ball and off the ball, the way they pressed, the way they worked until the end.”
Big Jamie Vardy contract update
Despite being 37 years of age, Vardy has played a key role for Leicester this season, scoring 18 goals and providing two assists in 35 appearances in all competitions.
The striker joined the Foxes from Fleetwood Town in 2012, and having already won the Championship title, Premier League title and FA Cup during his time at the club, he looks set to be part of another success this season.
Vardy’s contract at the King Power Stadium expires in the summer, but according to The Athletic, Leicester are expected to hold talks with him over a new deal when promotion is confirmed.
There is said to be “intent on both sides to discuss an extension of his contract”, while Vardy has no plans to retire this summer and “wants to extend his career, preferably at Leicester”.
Vardy is known to have a good relationship with Maresca, who made him captain at the start of the season, and this is perhaps the clearest indication yet that his incredible journey at the club is set to continue.
Man City and Newcastle players on radar
Leicester’s ability to do business in the transfer market this summer could be restricted after they were charged with breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, and they may need to sell players, even if they are promoted.
However, it seems that the Foxes are identifying potential summer targets, and according to The Sun, they are plotting a move for Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.
Leicester were keen on McAtee in the summer, but he instead opted to make a loan move to Sheffield United, who he had helped to promotion from the Championship the previous season.
McAtee has been one of the shining lights for the Blades in an incredibly tough season for the club, scoring five goals and providing four assists in 31 appearances in all competitions.
The 21-year-old is expected to be allowed to leave the Etihad Stadium once again this summer, and he is said to be keen to remain in the Premier League, meaning the Foxes will need to be promoted to have a chance of landing his signature.
Another player attracting interest from Leicester is Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, as per the Sunday People, via Caught Offside.
Academy graduate Longstaff has scored six goals and registered two assists for the Magpies in all competitions this season, with one of those goals coming in the Champions League, but the club could consider offers of £15-£20 million for the 26-year-old as they look to stay within FFP regulations.
The Foxes face competition from fellow promotion hopefuls Leeds United for Longstaff, who has one year remaining on his contract at St James’ Park.
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