Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the rejection of Chelsea’s offer for promising centre-back Wesley Fofana. Charlotte Duncker at The Times reported the Leicester City manager’s complaints, setting out the King Power hierarchy’s views on the situation.
Brendan Rodgers Confirms Rejection of Chelsea’s Offer for Wesley Fofana
Rodgers confirms #lcfc have rejected another bid for Fofana from #CFC. The player, who failed to turn up for training one day last week, is also now training with the Development Squad rather than the first team.
— Charlotte Duncker (@CharDuncker) August 23, 2022
What Else Did Brendan Rodgers Say?
In his statement, Brendan Rodgers also said: “You need full commitment from players, they’re well paid and the very least you can do is turn up. You can’t then expect to walk into our group. It’s been hard for him to deal with him and while he’s in that frame of mind it’s difficult for him to play.”
Whilst the Leicester manager is intent on retaining Fofana, this is evidence that the Frenchman has less interest in remaining at the club. The youngster’s mind appears to be on Chelsea. That is just one reason for the centre-back missing out on a place in the Foxes squad in the loss to Southampton.
“The player [Wesley Fofana] clearly wants to go and it’s about the clubs finding an agreement, and I think once that happens it will be resolved then.”
– Brendan Rodgers.https://t.co/d0i6uvqxgc pic.twitter.com/zuOn2O2Kkv
— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) August 24, 2022
Should Leicester Keep Wesley Fofana?
One of the reasons Wesley Fofana is pushing for a move is the club’s current weakness. Leicester City lie in 19th in the table, and with poor recruitment to date, the Foxes run an early risk of relegation. Therefore, keeping the talented Frenchman is an ideal strategy for survival this season.
However, there is an opposing view. The poor recruitment at the King Power Stadium is partially the responsibility of financial issues. Todd Boehly’s most recent bid of £70 million provides ample resources for a rebuild. Confirming the rejection of Chelsea’s offer is ideal for keeping the best of the squad’s current talent, but risks crippling the squad’s potential for growth.
Could Chelsea Secure the Deal?
With the right resources and a slightly higher offer, the Blues have the potential for completing the deal. Wesley Fofana’s value according to Leicester stands at £80 million. The Stamford Bridge outfit were subject to demolition on the road at Leeds United, in part as a result of a lack of centre-backs. The Frenchman is a high priority for the club at the moment, especially as his compatriot Jules Kounde chose a move to Barcelona rather than joining Thomas Tuchel’s men.
Whilst Leicester’s centre-back is a strong asset for a side that could be facing relegation, his place training with the Development Plan says one thing. Brendan Rodgers is prepared to play on without him. A powerful enough bid from Stamford Bridge could dislodge the player.
