The Dane has returned to the club from his loan spell at Bologna, where he qualified for the Champions League, and has established himself as Cooper’s first-choice left-back
Steve Cooper did not have to convince Victor Kristiansen to stay at Leicester City – but wouldn’t have done so anyway.
The City manager has said he would never fight to persuade a player to remain at the King Power Stadium. That’s because he requires unwavering commitment from those in his squad.
Kristiansen qualified for the Champions League on loan at Bologna last season and there were suggestions early in the summer that he was setting his sights on a permanent move to the Serie A club. However, he’s started all three of City’s opening Premier League matches and looks to be the club’s first-choice left-back.
But the Dane is not here because of any promise or convincing argument from Cooper. He wanted to stay after a new management team afforded him a fresh chance.
“I won’t convince anybody to play here,” the manager said. “They’ve got to want to play here. I don’t care who it is. There’s no convincing. You’re either 100 per cent committed or you’re not. These guys are.
“With Victor, he did have a good season and a positive experience last year in Italy. He played in a team that have brought a lot of interest in the players that have played for them. He was a good part of that. We’ve definitely got a player back off a positive loan. There’s been a change of manager here and it can be seen as a clean slate and a fresh opportunity.
“That’s exactly how we’ve dealt with him. Through pre-season, he played his way into the team. For him and everybody else, they have to play well to stay in the team.”
Late in the window, there were reports from Belgium that Wout Faes was hoping to leave City before the deadline and had told the club so, the 26-year-old centre-back apparently unhappy with the club’s lack of investment into the squad. Cooper denied that, and Faes has started both of City’s matches – against Tranmere and Aston Villa – since the speculation emerged.
“I think that’s probably transfer tittle-tattle,” Cooper said when asked about the report. “I’m just seeing guys work hard every day, which is a non-negotiable for me. Everybody who is here needs to want to be here. It’s business as usual.”
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