Kasey McAteer has been a standout performer for Leicester City so far this season in the Championship.
Following Enzo Maresca’s appointment as manager in the summer, the winger has earned his spot in the first team squad.
The 21-year-old has four goals in 11 appearances in the second division, but injury has slowed his progress in recent weeks.
McAteer’s performances for Leicester City have reportedly piqued the interest of a number of Premier League clubs.
Everton and Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for the Englishman ahead of the reopening of the transfer window next month.
Should Leicester City make a move for Kasey McAteer?
McAteer has performed admirably on the first team and appears at ease competing in the second tier.
He could still make the move to the Premier League in January if Everton or Palace can stump up the cash to persuade Leicester to sell.
Given how important he’s become to Maresca’s first team plans, the Championship league leaders are likely to put a significant price tag on his future.
The fact that McAteer’s contract expires in the summer of 2025 is one aspect of this potential deal that will worry Leicester.
While there is no immediate need to sell, it does mean that a major decision about his future will need to be made in 2024.
There is still time on their side, as a Premier League club is unlikely to push for a January transfer if it becomes too expensive given the player’s lack of top-flight experience.
Leicester could easily demand £25 million or more for the winger, which would be an unrealistic fee for a club like Everton or Palace to pay in January.
As a result, the club can wait until the summer to negotiate a new contract with the player without being concerned about his future.
Similarly, McAteer should wait until the summer before deciding on a new contract, as he will have a lot of negotiating power by then.
If Leicester return to the Premier League, committing his future to the King Power makes a lot of sense; however, failure to gain promotion may open the door to an exit.
Kasey McAteer, how important is he to Leicester City?
Leicester have been missing McAteer a lot due to injury issues in the last month or so, with Maresca’s team struggling to find the same consistency of form that they did in November.
The forward was a late substitute in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday after missing the defeat to Leeds United.
Maresca will want to keep him happy in the long run because the Italian should understand how important McAteer can be to this team.
He is a valuable asset who will play a key role in the Foxes’ push for automatic promotion in the second half of the season.
The distraction of a transfer saga will be unwelcome, but Leicester should not be too concerned about the youngster’s future.
