Leicester City’s start to the Championship season has been outstanding.
The Foxes suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 1-0 to Hull City at the King Power Stadium, with Liam Delap’s 15th-minute strike securing all three points for the Tigers.
Prior to that, Enzo Maresca’s team had won their first four league games, and they now lie third in the table, level on points with second-placed Ipswich Town and one point behind leaders Preston North End.
Maresca has rebuilt his squad this summer, bringing in Harry Winks, Conor Coady, Mads Hermansen, Stephy Mavididi, Tom Cannon, Callum Doyle, Cesare Casadei, Yunus Akgun, and Abdul Fatawu, while a number of high-profile departures have included James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, and Youri Tielemans.
As Leicester City try to make an instant return to the Premier League, we looked at which players are in the final year of their contracts.
Alex Smithies
Smithies joined the Foxes from Cardiff City last summer, although he has yet to make an appearance for the club.
Smithies is now sidelined, but with exceptionally strong competition for positions from Hermansen, Jakub Stolarczyk, Danny Ward, and Daniel Iversen, it appears unlikely he will receive many minutes when he returns, and it would be surprising if he is offered an extension when his contract expires.
Jannik Vestergaard
Last season, neither Brendan Rodgers nor Dean Smith used defender Vestergaard in the Premier League, with his sole appearances coming in cup tournaments.
However, under Maresca, the 31-year-old is back in favour and has started all five Championship games so far, creating a defensive partnership with Wout Faes.
Wilfred Ndidi
Despite interest from Nottingham Forest and Bayern Munich, the Foxes were able to maintain midfielder Ndidi this summer.
Ndidi has been a staple in the club since joining from Genk in January 2017, scoring two goals and providing one assist in seven appearances across all competitions this season.
Hamza Choudhury
Midfielder Choudhury was also linked with a transfer away from the King Power Stadium this summer, with Southampton reportedly interested, but a deal did not materialize.
Choudhury, who spent last season on loan at Watford, has made five appearances in all competitions for Maresca’s side this season, with all of his league minutes coming as a substitute.
Dennis Praet
Praet joined Leicester from Sampdoria in August 2019, but he has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at the club.
The midfielder has one assist in three games this season across all competitions, however he is now out with a back injury and is likely to be out for three months.
Marc Albrighton
Albrighton, who joined the Foxes from Aston Villa in May 2014, is one of the club’s longest-serving players.
The 33-year-old, who was part of the club’s Premier League and FA Cup-winning sides, spent the second half of last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion after his game time in the top division was limited.
Albrighton has made four appearances in all competitions this season, and while he may not be a regular, his experience will be valuable in the locker room for Maresca.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Leicester will be relieved to have kept Iheanacho this summer, despite interest from Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Iheanacho has been Maresca’s first-choice striker this season, but keeping him beyond the end of his contract may be contingent on the Foxes achieving promotion.
Jamie Vardy
Vardy has had an illustrious career with Leicester City since joining from non-league Fleetwood Town in May 2012, winning the Championship in 2014, the Premier League in 2016 and the FA Cup in 2021.
If Vardy’s contract is not renewed beyond the end of the season, guiding the club back to the Premier League will be the ideal way for the 36-year-old to conclude his time at the King Power Stadium.
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