Leicester City star is ‘desperate’ to leave this summer as key factor sees him ‘push’ for rapid exit

Add as preferred source on Google

Leicester City are going through a transitional period this summer with the recent appointment of Marti Cifuentes, who looks set to lose a high-profile Foxes player.

Following relegation to the Championship last season, the post-season summer at Leicester City has been as chaotic as their ill-fated 2024/25 campaign.

After weeks of speculation, Ruud van Nistelrooy exited Leicester which led to weeks of uncertainty regarding his successor.

Former QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes has been officially unveiled as the new Foxes head coach, with Cifuentes taking a pay cut to join Leicester.

With Leicester set for a points deduction this season, the Spaniard’s maiden season in charge will be a difficult task, one which will be made even harder with the high-profile departure of a key Foxes player.

• READ MORE: Marti Cifuentes’ first priority as Leicester City manager should be to hijack Blackburn Rovers transfer

Leicester City captain Conor Coady is ‘desperate’ to complete Rangers transfer

Leicester fans welcomed Cifuentes with relief and excitement after his arrival was officially announced, and now the Spaniard’s duties turn to pre-season preparations and transfer window business.

Unfortunately for the former QPR boss, he is poised to be without Leicester captain Conor Coady next season, with the defender seemingly on his way to Scottish Premier League giants Rangers.

Last month, it was revealed that Coady was set to join Rangers and call time on his two-season stint with the Foxes.

However, the latest reports on the matter from the Daily Record dictate that Coady is “Coady is set to plead with Leicester bosses to be omitted from the club’s pre-season tour” to complete his Ibrox move this week.

The 32-year-old central defender is reportedly “desperate” to join Rangers to be registered for the club’s Champions League qualification clash against Panathinaikos next week, and has his heart set on joining Russell Martin’s side ahead of next season.

In an ironic twist, former Southampton boss Martin is set to frustrate the Foxes hierarchy once again.

Previously, Martin was the Leicester favourite to succeed van Nistelrooy, but Martin snubbed Leicester for Rangers after agreeing terms with the now-Championship outfit.

On the surface, it is a major blow for Leicester and Cifuentes to lose the club captain. Yet, when delving into Coady’s statistics from last season, his departure could be a blessing in disguise as for the new King Power Stadium era.

• READ MORE: One Leicester City player admitted he didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Esteban Cambiasso

Marti Cifuentes must give Leicester City’s young talent a platform to shine

Leicester fans have been resigned to seeing club captain Coady depart at some point this year, after he was open to leaving the sinking Foxes ship in the most recent January window to re-join Wolves.

After Coady’s move failed, he captained the side to relegation from the Premier League, which looks destined to be his last act in a Foxes jersey.

With Coady’s departure imminent at the same time the points deduction looms for Leicester, Cifuentes may be forced to turn to the squad he inherited, rather than the transfer market, for reinforcements at centre-back.

As such, Cifuentes’ first Leicester starting XI could see the likes of Caleb Okoli and Ben Nelson given the chance to cement their spot in the new-look Leicester during the 2025/26 Championship campaign.

Young prospects such as Okoli and former Oxford United loanee Nelson have warranted a starting role over the likes of Coady, Wout Faes, and Jannik Vestergaard, who all had a major part to play in Leicester’s demotion.

Although Coady’s departure may sting, it could help signify the new dawn at Leicester under Cifuentes, and help push the Foxes back to the top flight by favouring youthful exuberance over those uninvested veterans.