leicester city
Man City transfer claim made on Leicester City player
Premier League giants Manchester City remain interested in Leicester City defender Ben Nelson, according to Leicestershire Live.
The young centre-back has found it tough to win that much game time this season, but that isn’t exactly a surprise considering the number of options that the Foxes have in central defence.
Wout Faes and Jannick Vestergaard have been important players under Enzo Maresca during the 2023/24 campaign, with the likes of Connor Coady and Harry Souttar also able to step up.
However, it’s clear that Souttar isn’t a favourite of Maresca’s, with the Australian failing to win many minutes at a domestic level this term despite shining for his country.
This has allowed Nelson to win some time on the pitch, with the player making nine appearances in all competitions for the Foxes so far this season.
At this crucial time though, with Leicester less certain to secure a Premier League return after their recent wobble, Maresca may be reluctant to rely on the 20-year-old too much and may opt for experience instead.
| Championship Table (As it stands March 21st) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leeds United | 38 | 42 | 82 |
| 2 | Leicester City | 37 | 41 | 82 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 38 | 31 | 81 |
| 4 | Southampton | 36 | 26 | 73 |
| 5 | West Brom | 38 | 23 | 66 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 38 | 15 | 61 |
| 7 | Hull City | 37 | 7 | 58 |
| 8 | Coventry City | 37 | 16 | 57 |
However, he definitely seems to be one for the future and is a highly rated player at the King Power Stadium.
Man City’s interest in Ben Nelson
It has been reported by Leicestershire Live that City have a “longstanding” interest in Nelson, with the player seemingly still being tracked by Pep Guardiola’s side.
Perhaps this should come as no shock, with Guardiola likely to be keeping an eye on former assistant Maresca and the job he is doing in the Championship.
A big fee may be required to lure him away from the Midlands though, with the 20-year-old’s contract not expiring until the summer of 2027.
Not only does his deal not expire for another three years, but he has a very high ceiling, as a player who is only 20 but has already played for the Foxes at a senior level.
Leicester City may be under pressure to sell Ben Nelson
With Leicester recently being charged with an alleged financial breach, the Foxes need to be careful with what they spend.
And it has been reported by The Telegraph that the Foxes are under pressure to raise significant funds before the end of June.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could be one player who leaves, having attracted plenty of interest from elsewhere.
But they can’t rely on the midfielder’s potential sale, they also need to look at others who could potentially depart.
Centre-back Souttar is one player who could potentially be sold, but he may not generate a huge fee considering his lack of game time this season.
Nelson, who arguably has more time to develop than the Australian, has to be another potential candidate to leave if Leicester need to cash in on players.
However, the Foxes won’t want to lose him.
