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It would be a huge surprise if James Maddison remains at Leicester for long. If reports are to be believed, Newcastle and Tottenham are already doing their best to sign the midfielder. Maddison scored 10 goals and set up nine more this season, with his tally of 69 key passes the 10th highest in the division.
While Maddison was the star man for Leicester, Harvey Barnes also had a strong season. Leicester scored 51 goals in the league – as many as Aston Villa, who qualified for Europe – and Barnes was their top scorer with 13 goals. Only 11 players in the league scored more. As is the case with Maddison, Newcastle and Spurs are monitoring the 25-year-old, as are Aston Villa. Expect the winger to be on the move before too long.
While Leicester will be able to command hefty fees for Maddison and Barnes, the same cannot be said of Youri Tielemans. The Belgian’s contract expires this month and he has already said goodbye to the club’s fans. I am bidding farewell to this incredible club, he wrote on social media. From the first day I set foot on this ground, your warmth and passion embraced me. Victory and triumph, love, hope and even defeat, we have shared many special moments together. I am forever grateful for your unwavering support. Leicester supporters will remember him as the player who scored the winning goal when they beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final in 2021. Despite a sub-par season, with just three goals and two assists, he remains highly respected by Premier League clubs. The 26-year-old has previously attracted attention from Arsenal.
Given his potential, Wilfried Gnonto is unlikely to hang around at Leeds for the long term. Initially signed as one for the future, the Italian quickly established himself as a regular in the side. He ended the campaign with four assists and two goals. The 19-year-old was not one to shy away from a challenge either, averaging 1.8 tackles per 90 minutes this season. Champions Manchester City and runners-up Arsenal have reportedly kept tabs on the Italy forward.
Illan Meslier was dropped for Sam Allardyce’s four league games in charge but he remains a goalkeeper with a lot of potential. The 23-year-old is the youngest keeper to have reached 100 appearances in the Premier League. He was one of the busiest goalkeepers in the country during Leeds’ three-year spell back in the top flight, but that says more about the side’s defensive shortcomings than his own. His career is still in its infancy and, if put in the right setup where he is not routinely called into action behind a shaky defence, the Frenchman could yet develop into a top shotstopper.
Having signed Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord for £21m last summer, Leeds will want a hefty return if they sell the 23-year-old. The Colombian had a mixed debut campaign in England, one hampered by injury, but he still scored a respectable five league goals across 875 minutes of top-flight action. His return of two successful dribbles per 90 was commendable and any side in the market for a left winger who liked to cut insight and use his right foot could do worse than try and prise Sinisterra away from Elland Road.
Source: theguardian
