Embed from Getty Images
After studying the game for a long time, you start to understand how a perfect squad build should look. You study it from different levels and decades. You should avoid the dreamland and always conduct your set up the way it would suit your club the best.
To get a top result, as Leicester managed in 2015/16 by winning the Premier League, you see a certain pattern. This pattern were similar at Blackburn, Aston Villa, Forest and Derby in their league winning seasons. These clubs, similar in size to Leicester, had this in place.
Looking in the back mirror to reflect on good periods at Leicester. Under the management of Matt Gillies, Jimmy Bloomfield, Martin O’Neill, Nigel Pearson and Claudio Ranieri, Leicester managed to do well. They balanced the financial part without taking risks. The squad was built perfectly for the size of the football club.
That is the model to follow, it has always been and will always be. Buying footballers you are unsure about for your first eleven is mostly a waste of money. It involves huge risk taking. Why Leicester have taken these risks are difficult to understand.
With this in mind, you will never have to see great losses on player purchases. You will not have difficulties getting players out if that is needed. Today the squad at Leicester looks a mess. A massive clean up must be done. However, we believe that it can be difficult to get this correctly with so many contracts running out next summer.
Leicester City are ‘keen’ on Coventry City midfielder Jack Rudoni. Sheffield United and Southampton are also interesting in signing the 23-year-old, as per @EFLAnalysis_.
He scored 9 goals and assisted 12 in the Championship this season. #LCFC pic.twitter.com/15ciyXqxYh
— Josh Holland (@_joshhollandd) May 29, 2025
When building a squad, you should not have more than 16 players competing for places in the first team. You should always seek to find your perfect starting eleven, grounded in a system that is well working. You can have 6 players filling the squad, but they should all be under the age of 21. The reason for that is players over 22 not considered for a starting position will explore other opportunities. They may look into other prospects. Players over 22 years old not considered for starting positions will think of other options. They may need to go somewhere else for first team football. They are coming to an age when that is what you potentially look for.
You should not have more than 4 players above the age of 30. No player above the age of 30 should be on a longer contract than 2 years.
The rest of your squad should be in the age group between 22 and 29. This is in line with those proper build squads in the past when players logistics were perfectly set up. So where do Leicester go from here?
The fear of giving youth a chance, can no longer be there. The club cannot have a group of experienced professional players not being selected or involved. Players signed for heavy fees just training is far from what is a preferred policy, so then get them out.
Leicester need a fire sale of players. We have seen Jamie Vardy, Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen released after their contracts had reached the final date. The club should let Mads Hermansen leave if they get a feasible fee. If they cannot, just let him stay and carry on his duties as first choice.
Victor Kristiansen and Wout Faes are players that Leicester should sell if they are able to get that done. Jannik Vestergaard is no longer needed, he should also be shipped out if possible. The same for Bouba Soumare, Harry Winks and Bobby De Cordava-Reid.
Players such as Patson Daka and Jordan Ayew should also be considered sold. The club need to get their balance and structure in place as fast as possible. Woyo Coulibaly should also get a chance to move on, also giving that possibility to Hamza Choudhury and Harry Souttar. Will Alves should go on a new loan spell. He needs regular games to get into shape. This will help him achieve the solidity needed to be part of a Leicester team in the future.
This would see Leicester with the following;
Goalkeepers: Stolarczyk, Vacant, Defenders: Pereira, Justin, Thomas, Aluko, Nelson, Coady, Okoli, Vacant, Midfield: Braybrooke, Ndidi, Skipp, Bilal, Golding, Vacant, Forwards: McAteer, Fatawu, Monga, Madivadua, Vacant, Vacant
This would see a potential of 5 new signings. Two of them should be loans. Two of the others should be good solid signings. The fifth, a goalkeeper, either a loan or a free transfer. Leicester need to invest in a solid and good box to box midfielder. Then another investment in a man up front to take over from Jamie Vardy. A young fresh central defender and a cover striker is also needed.
Some suggest Leeds forward Joel Piroe would be the ideal man up front. Another player to call on is Chuba Akpom. They are players cabable of being that top target man at Leicester and in reach of a potential promotion. Adam Armstrong also suggested. The alternative player up front should be a young loan signing from Premier League. Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry would be a good loan addition.
The defender to call could be the free agent from Man Utd, Jack Kingdon. No transfer fee and a young player to challenge Okoli or Coady, with Nelson also to call on. A loan player could be considered if Kingdon is not in the frame of joining Leicester.
There are a number of free agent goalkeepers out there if needed to sign one. Spending money on a transfer for a cover goalkeeper is unnecessary.
Leicester should chase a proper box to box midfielder. To get Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall back on a loan deal would be interesting. But that looks unlikely. Coventry midfielder Jack Rudoni is a player to consider.
Leicester Live Scores
CHECK YOUR FOOTBALL STORIES AND TRANSFER TALK
Leicester City And More
A TRUSTED SOURCE ON LEICESTER CITY NEWS
Related