Leicester in talks with Hodgson

Premier League champions Leicester have held informal talks with former England boss Roy Hodgson about him becoming their new manager.

However, it is thought the 69-year-old was just one potential candidate spoken to in the search for Claudio Ranieri’s replacement.

And acting boss Craig Shakespeare could stay in charge until the end of the season if results continue to improve.

Ranieri was sacked on 23 February, nine months after winning the title.

The Italian departed with the Foxes just one point above the relegation zone.

Shakespeare’s first match as caretaker manager resulted in a 3-1 victory over Liverpool on Monday.

Defender Danny Simpson said Shakespeare is a “top coach and a top guy”.

He said: “He has kept it simple and told us what he wanted to do, which was simple and basic, and we’ve done that so let’s hope we can carry it on for him.”

Hodgson has been out of work since resigning as England coach after they lost to Iceland at Euro 2016.

But his former goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely says Hodgson should be a leading contender for the Leicester job and the public perception of the veteran manager is “totally wrong”.

Kiely, who worked under him at West Brom, said: “I can see why he’s on anyone’s shortlist.”

Hodgson, who has been managing for more than 40 years, guided Fulham to the Europa League final in 2010 and had spells in charge of Liverpool and West Brom before he got the England job in 2012.