In the competitive world of the Championship, depth and quality are essential, especially for a team striving for the title. However, it’s crucial that every player on the squad gets some playing time to foster their development.
Leicester City’s outstanding form has made it difficult for Enzo Maresca to make significant changes to his lineup on a weekly basis, even though he’s fortunate to have talented players across various positions.
With six consecutive league wins, the Foxes currently sit at the top of the table, closely pursued by Ipswich Town. The rest of the teams are already falling behind in the race.
While the team is riding high on confidence, Maresca’s next challenge as the former Manchester City coach is managing his squad, ensuring that all players feel satisfied both on and off the pitch. This brings us to three players who could benefit from a temporary transfer away from the King Power Stadium.
At the beginning of the season, it seemed like Wanya Marçal was on the verge of a breakthrough. The young Portuguese player showed promise, especially in the 2-0 EFL Cup victory over Burton Albion. He was rewarded with consecutive league starts against Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City, even scoring the opening goal against Cardiff.
However, despite his impressive debut, the 20-year-old has fallen down the pecking order due to the outstanding performances of Stephy Mavididi and Kasey McAteer on the flanks. As a result, he has been relegated to playing for the U21s side. Marçal needs an opportunity to flourish on the professional stage, as his talent is being wasted with only occasional outings in the EFL Trophy.
Both Daniel Iversen and Danny Ward have found themselves out of favor at the King Power Stadium. New signing Mads Hermansen and academy goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk have kept them out of the first-team picture.
During the summer, there was interest from Crystal Palace in signing Danish international Iversen, but the move never materialized. The Foxes were willing to sell him for £5 million and rejected a loan bid from Stoke City. If no clubs are willing to pay the requested amount in January, it may benefit Iversen to be sent out on loan to retain or increase his value.
Similarly, Ward has only started one league game this season, a 2-0 victory over Stoke City. He finds himself low in the pecking order, with Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, Wout Faes, and Callum Doyle all ahead of him in Maresca’s plans. It was rumored that Ward was a target for Scottish giants Rangers in the summer, but no move materialized. With minimal playing time, it would be interesting to see if he receives more opportunities in the Championship. If not, a move away might be the best option for the player to secure regular football.
While having a player of Souttar’s quality is always beneficial, it remains to be seen if he will get consistent playing time in the Championship. If not, a move away from Leicester City could be the best decision for all parties involved, especially if regular football is the player’s objective.
