BANGKOK, THAILAND - 2023/07/26: Luke Thomas of Leicester City seen during the training exercise between Leicester City and Port FC at Alpine Football Camp Training. Final score; Leicester City 1:0 Port FC. (Photo by Amphol Thongmueangluang/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Leicester City’s transfer rivals include Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
A number of clubs are interested in a key Leicester City pairing ahead of the January transfer window.
Leicester City are facing a battle to hold onto key stars Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi in January.
Several clubs are expected to show interest in the pair, according to Teamtalk.
Ndidi and Iheanacho have been key components of Leicester City’s Championship campaign so far this season.
The Nigerian internationals have made 12 and 15 league appearances respectively, with Enzo Maresca’s side currently leading the way at the top of the table.
They have contributed a combined six goals and four assists, with Leicester four points clear of second place Ipswich Town.
What is the latest Leicester City transfer news?
Leicester saw a number of high-profile players depart the club in the summer window following their relegation from the Premier League.
Caglar Soyuncu, Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, and Youri Tielemans are among those who have left the Leicestershire club.
However, Ndidi and Iheanacho may follow in their footsteps when the market reopens in January.
It has been reported that there are several clubs monitoring the availability of the Leicester duo.
Premier League sides Brentford, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United are said to be interested in Ndidi, who has been an impressive figure for Leicester since his arrival in 2017.
European giants Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have also inquired about his availability, as have Ligue 1 clubs Monaco and Lyon.
Brentford are considering a move for Iheanacho, 27, as a possible replacement for Ivan Toney if the forward leaves the Bees in January.
Crystal Palace and West Ham are also interested in the Leicester striker.
Ndidi and Iheanacho’s contracts expire at the end of the season, so they could sign pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs in January or leave as free agents in the summer.
What position does Leicester City occupy in the Championship table?
Leicester City lead the Championship table, having won 13 of their first 15 games under Maresca.
The distance between first and second place Ipswich is now down to four points after suffering their second loss of the season on Friday night, falling 1-0 to Leeds United.
The Whites’ victory cut the gap between them and the Foxes to 11 points, with Daniel Farke’s side sitting third in the table.
Leicester’s next match is against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on November 11th.
Leicester will be hoping to keep two key players as free agents at the end of the season.
Ndidi is an important player for the club, and contract talks with the midfielder should be prioritized, as tying him down to a new contract is critical.
However, given the depth of attacking options at the team’s disposal, selling Iheanacho in January may make the most sense at this point.
Leicester’s poor planning has resulted in this situation with two key players having expiring contracts, a lesson they must learn after also losing Tielemans and Soyuncu as free agents last summer.
