Following a sloppy transfer window at the end of the 21/22 season, the very late decision to part ways with Brendan Rodgers, the club’s ultimate relegation, and continued growing unrest amongst the fans, the appointment of Enzo Maresca came as a much needed ray of positivity from the Leicester City board.
He may not have the history of being manager at a top club, but as the right hand man to arguably the best manager in footballing history in Pep Guardiola, we can hope that we’ll see elements of this style in Enzo’s work with Leicester. Key elements of that game include full backs pushing up to a centre midfield role when in possession of the ball and helping with the transition from defence to attack. This type of play releases and creates more freedom for the creative players to have an impact and makes it harder for the opposition to mark and defend against. It’s exactly what the likes of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and Vincent Kompany at Burnley have managed, leading both to very successful seasons with their clubs.
How can Enzo make this possible for Leicester?
It’s simple really, or is it? Let’s start with the basics. A solid transfer window is a must! With Leicester having the biggest transfer budget in the Championship, one of the best training facilities in football and being arguably the biggest club in the league, there’s a lot to help Enzo attract new talent. With what has already happened (at the time of writing) James Maddison and Youri Tielemans have left the club, bringing in around £40 million. Their departures (and the clubs they’ve chosen to go to) may have left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans, however I think it’s fair to say both served Leicester very well over their time at the club. With these two gone who can replace the gap they filled in the heart of our team? Can KDH? Can Hamza?
Dewsbury-Hall has what it takes to flourish in the Championship next season under Enzo and it’s likely he’ll become one of the first players on the team sheet. However, other than him, centre mid is a vital position we’ve needed to recruit. With Harry Winks the first player in, having just signed from Tottenham for £10 million, this is a great move for a player with a lot of experience, both in the Premier League and in Serie A. Winks is a deep-lying midfielder who is calm on the ball and with the little more time he will get on the ball in the Championship, he can easily play that killer pass. He’s only 27 years old and has a lot to prove coming back to English football after his time with Sampdoria.
What are the other movements?
Whether it’s a clear out, or “draining the swamp” as seems to be the term coined across social media, it’s clear that next season’s squad is going to look very different. Bertrand, Soyuncu, Amartey, Mendy, Perez, Tete and more have already been announced to depart, whilst question marks continue to hang over players including last season’s top goalscorer, Harvey Barnes.
A vital name missing there is Club Captain, Johnny Evans, who still appears to be in contract negotiations. Now 35 years old and injury prone, it’s unlikely that Evans would feature solidly through the season even if he does stay, however he’s a much needed leader in the dressing room.
With the question mark over Evans’ future, the signing of Conor Coady was welcome news. What an excellent signing this is for the club. Not just for his presence on the pitch, but his well known influence and leadership will play a vital role in the rebuild of the team and overall atmosphere at Seagrave. His overall character has been well reported from previous clubs he’s played at, which is something the club need more than ever during this rebuild.
Another rumoured signing is that of Zack Steffan. the American goalkeeper currently with Manchester City. Steffan completed a season long loan at Middlesbrough last season, keeping 7 clean sheets and having a solid season. Is the position a high priority for Enzo to recruit to? Or will Enzo be confident that Iversen and Ward can provide the cover we need at Championship level?
Ryan Sessegnon is another who seems to have the rumour mill ticking. A full back that is already highly rated by Mourinho, and aged only 23, this could be a brilliant signing if it’s made possible. The focus of his game is based on dribbling and pace, and whilst we we have strong full backs in Justin and Pereira, there is no doubt that the team has suffered set backs as a result of their ongoing injuries. His youthful and energetic approach would be a huge advantage to the squad.
Finally, there’s Joel Piroe, who has been a star over the last two years for Swansea. Piroe racked up 22 goals and 6 assists in 2021/22 and a further 19 goals and 2 assists last season. A comfortable finisher with both feet, but with him also standing at 6ft 1 his physical presence would be a great option for hold up play and for set pieces. At just 23 years old he has already gained vital experience in the Championship and proven that with the right support he will score goals. With Vardy’s age not on his side, and lingering doubts of Iheanacho’s future, this would be a great signing for the club.
What’s next?
With the players due to return to Seagrave for pre-season training next week, we have to be hopeful that after their break they’ve let everything sink in and will return full of determination. With some of the previously mentioned potential signings and the mentality Enzo will enforce around Seagrave, this could be the start of something special.
In Enzo’s first club interview he stated, “First of all, we as a club, we need to rebuild this confidence. Then, also the players that stay with us from last year, they need to change their mentality. The players that we brought in, they need to understand that Leicester is a demanding club.” Welcome words to the ears of all Leicester City supporters.
Enzo’s role at Seagrave is vital, embedding a fresh style of management and ensuring that Leicester are operating as the well-oiled, successful team that we know they can be. That we all so desperately want to see return. With fire and determination following the hurt of relegation, along with new passion coming into the squad, we have what we need to learn from last season and come back stronger with Enzo leading the way.
Dare we say, perhaps we’ll even look back at this relegation as a good reset button on the club – giving us time to clear out, rebuild, and also, perhaps most importantly, to invest in a new long-term plan with a manager who has a point to prove
Words by Lewis Torr
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