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Leicester City 2021-22 season preview - prediction, summer signings, star player

Sports Mole takes an in-depth look ahead to Leicester City's 2021-22 campaign, including predictions, summer signings and their star player.

The 2020-21 campaign will forever be remembered by Leicester City supporters, with the Foxes winning their first FA Cup trophy courtesy of a 1-0 success over Chelsea in the final on May 15.

The Premier League campaign ultimately ended in disappointment, though, as they relinquished control of a top-four spot and ultimately dropped down to fifth position on the final weekend of the season.

Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel and teammates celebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Community Shield on August 7, 2021© Reuters

As a result, it is Europa League rather than Champions League football for the Foxes in 2021-22, and it will be fascinating to see whether the club can challenge for more silverware.

Head coach Brendan Rodgers has been backed with funds in the transfer market this summer, and the club have already claimed some silverware this term, recording a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday evening.

Here, Sports Mole provides an in-depth preview at Leicester's 2021-22 campaign and looks at what the supporters could expect from their side in the coming months.


FIXTURES

Leicester will open their 2021-22 Premier League campaign at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 14 before finishing the month with away clashes against West Ham United and Norwich City.

The Foxes have a tough start to September, facing Man City on September 11, while they will take on Manchester United at the King Power Stadium in the middle of October.

December is also a difficult month, with Rodgers's side taking on Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Man City and Liverpool in their final four league fixtures of 2021.

There are, of course, no easy matches at this level of football, but Leicester will feel that there are points for them in their final two league games of the campaign after a tough end to April, which will see them take on Aston Villa and Tottenham.

Indeed, the Foxes will travel to Watford and welcome Southampton in their final two league games of the season, and the club will be desperate to be in and around the Champions League spots at that stage.

> Click here to see all of Leicester's 2021-22 fixtures


SUMMER SIGNINGS

Leicester City's Patson Daka in action on July 28, 2021© Reuters

In
Patson Daka (£27m, Red Bull Salzburg)
Boubakary Soumare (£18m, Lille)
Ryan Bertrand (free, Southampton)

Out
Wes Morgan (retired)
Christian Fuchs (free, Charlotte)
Matty James (released)
Josh Knight (undisclosed, Peterborough United)
Darragh O'Connor (free, Motherwell)
Admiral Muskwe (undisclosed, Luton Town)
Darnell Johnson (free, Northampton Town)
George Hirst (loan, Portsmouth)
Tyrese Shade (loan, Swindon Town)
Daniel Iversen (loan, Preston North End)
Callum Wright (loan, Cheltenham Town)

Leicester City total spent to date: £45m
Leicester City total received to date: £0m

Leicester City net transfer balance: -£45m


SQUAD

Leicester City's James Maddison celebrates with teammates after winning the FA Community Shield on August 7, 2021© Reuters

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Ward, Eldin Jakupovic

Defenders: James Justin, Wesley Fofana, Caglar Soyuncu, Jonny Evans, Daniel Amartey, Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Luke Thomas, Ryan Bertrand

Midfielders: Youri Tielemans, James Maddison, Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes, Hamza Choudhury, Nampalys Mendy, Wilfred Ndidi, Dennis Praet, Boubakary Soumare

Forwards: Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka, Ayoze Perez

> Click here for full details of Leicester's 2021-22 squad


STRONGEST XI

POSS LEI XI 21/22


STAR PLAYER - YOURI TIELEMANS

Youri Tielemans in action for Leicester City in May 2021© Reuters

Tielemans has been linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium this summer, with Liverpool thought to be interested, but it appears that the 24-year-old will be staying with the Foxes.

Last term, the midfielder was in exceptional form, scoring nine times and registering six assists in 51 appearances in all competitions, including three goals and two assists in the FA Cup.

Arguably, the Belgium international's best performance of the 2020-21 campaign came against Chelsea in the FA Cup final, where he scored the winner during a fine all-round display at Wembley.


MANAGER - BRENDAN RODGERS

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers gives instructions to his players on August 7, 2021© Reuters

Undoubtedly one of the most talented managers in the Premier League, Rodgers led Leicester to last season's FA Cup trophy, but the team just missed out on a spot in the top four, ultimately finishing fifth, one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

The 48-year-old had been linked with the Tottenham job earlier this summer, but he remains fully committed to Leicester, and the Northern Irishman has been backed during this summer's market.

Rodgers made his name at Swansea City before spending three years with Liverpool between 2012 and 2015, and he then excelled at Celtic ahead of a switch to Leicester, who have him on a contract until June 2025, and it will be fascinating to see what he can achieve at the King Power Stadium this term.


LAST SEASON - Fifth

Leicester City celebrate Youri Tielemans's goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 15, 2021© Reuters

Only Man United (21) and Man City (27) won more Premier League matches than Leicester (20) last season, and the Foxes managed to claim 66 points from their 38 matches; it was not enough to finish in the top four, though, as they missed out to Chelsea on the final weekend of the campaign.

In truth, Leicester fell apart in the latter stages of the Premier League season, losing three of their final four matches, and the 4-2 defeat to Tottenham on May 23 proved to be particularly damaging.

That said, there were a number of positives; Rodgers's side will play Europa League football next term, while they won the FA Cup, beating Stoke City, Brentford, Brighton, Man United, Southampton and Chelsea to lift the famous trophy for the first time in their history.

Interestingly, Leicester's Premier League form at the King Power Stadium last season was what ended up costing them a spot in the top four, losing nine of their 19 matches on home soil.

The Foxes were excellent on their travels, though, winning 11, drawing five and losing three of their 19 matches, and Rodgers will be determined to address his side's league form in the coming campaign.


PREDICTION

Leicester just missed out on a spot in last season's top four, and we can see the Foxes again finishing just outside the Champions League positions in the coming campaign. Man City, Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool will all be strong next term, and we are finding it difficult to look past those teams in the top-four battle.

As a result, Leicester's best chance of securing a spot in the 2022-23 Champions League could come through the Europa League, and Rodgers's side are certainly good enough to win the competition.

VERDICT: Fifth

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Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers pictured on July 1, 2020
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