LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 17: Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City after the Sky Bet Championship match between Leicester City and Middlesbrough at King Power Stadium on February 17, 2024 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Medical loan move close for two Leicester defenders one being withdrawn from Palermo squad
Harry Souttar looks to be on his way out of Leicester, not permanently, but on loan. The Australian international was involved in the first two pre-season games vs. Villareal and Shrewsbury, but not in the squad for the game tonight vs. Palermo.
We believe a move to another destination will happen in the next couple of days and that a medical is planned, but still we do not have a clear message on where he will be heading, with Sheffield United and his former club Stoke, being mentioned as front runners.
Leicester manager Steve Cooper do have a lot of options in this area, and even with Wout Faes being absent from the squad today, Harry Souttar were not included, and certainly a clear indication that the player will be leaving.
Leicester are currently working on a number of different options to bring in new players as the defeat today against a Serie B outfit, looks to give Steve Cooper doubts about his depth in certain areas as he needs to balance it up and get the players in that he needs to get on with his special fight for survival.
Ben Nelson also looks to be heading for a new destination as well, being surplus when Wout Faes returns as he and Harry Souttar would look 5th or 6th choice behind Coady, Vestergaard, Okoli and Faes.
We do believe Steve Cooper will not keep his 5th and 6th alternative central defender at the club, when also having Wilfred Ndidi and Hamza Choudhury around, who also can cover in that area if it was to be trouble with Coady, Vestergaard, Faes or Okoli.
read more:
Leicester City player ratings v Palermo as Mavididi and Ndidi impress in pre-season defeat
How we scored the players as City’s 100 per cent pre-season recorded ended with a 1-0 loss to Serie B side Palermo
Leicester City lost for the first time this pre-season as a decent performance against Palermo was not reflected by the scoreline.
City were the better team at Chesterfield’s SMH Group Stadium but a good number of chances went begging, with Federico Di Francesco poking in the game’s only goal for the Serie B side on the hour. It means City’s unbeaten pre-season ends in their third outing.
As Steve Cooper seeks to get his side ready for the Premier League, there were changes from Tuesday’s win and further experiments. Wilfred Ndidi was back to playing in an attacking role, while Stephy Mavididi was shuffled over to the wing again. At full-back, Ricardo Pereira was this time the man hanging back, allowing James Justin to advance.
READ MORE: Leicester City v Palermo live reaction
READ MORE: Leicester City confirm transfer as Steve Cooper green lights deal
Plus, there were new personnel. Mads Hermansen, back from an extended break for his involvement with Denmark at Euro 2024, started in goal.
The first half-hour was decidedly pre-season, an even game with very little goalmouth action. Only Filippo Ranocchia’s 25-yard free-kick, a few inches wide, threatened to trouble the goal.
But City began to find their feet and started to dominate possession, pushing higher up the pitch and penning Palermo in. Mavididi and Ndidi were the biggest threats, and all of the chances fell their way.
The first opportunity was the biggest. The pair played a one-two to get Mavididi in behind, the winger winning a race to the ball with Palermo goalkeeper Alfred Gomis. The ball popped into the air, and with the goal gaping, Mavididi attempted an overhead kick. But he didn’t connect cleanly and Palermo cleared.
Shortly after, Ndidi headed a Mavididi cross wide, and then Mavididi had a low shot turned around the post. There wasn’t enough time for City to make their pressure count before the whistle was blown for the interval.
It took a few minutes but City got back into their stride and more chances came their way, Mavididi seeing a shot deflecting wide before Caleb Okoli bundled a set-piece just past the post. But then, against the run of play, Palermo took the lead.
Ricardo intercepted a ball through but inadvertently diverted the ball into Di Francesco’s path. He was left free in the box to simply place it past substitute goalkeeper Danny Ward.
City had a flurry of chances for an immediate response, playing some excellent football to get into the box, but on each occasion, a Palermo defender got themselves in the way. As the subs came on, including a maiden City outing for Bobby De Cordova-Reid, the chances dried up.
But there was one final opportunity when Victor Kristiansen’s fizzed cross was drilled at his own goal by Alexi Blin, but Gomis saved well. It wasn’t to be City’s day.
