PUEL OUT... WAGNER IN
LEICESTER are eyeing up Huddersfield’s David Wagner to replace under-fire Claude Puel.
He faces a battle to hang on to his job, following a huge slump in Leicester’s form, after an initial
upturn when he was appointed in October.
Just as happened when he was at Southampton, the Frenchman’s style of football has proved unpopular with both players and fans at Leicester.
The Foxes have won only two of their last 12 Premier League games, including four defeats in the last five – to leave Puel in danger of being axed.
Leicester were booed off at the end of both halves of their 2-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday, when Mark Noble scored a stunning volley for the Irons.
And Puel was taunted with chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” and “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.
Leicester have begun looking around for potential successors to Puel – and Wagner has emerged as a leading target.
The Terriers’ Premier League survival hopes are in the balance, with two games – against Chelsea away and Arsenal at home – to go.
But former Borussia Dortmund reserves boss Wagner won admirers after leading Huddersfield into the top flight for the first time in 45 years on one of the smallest wage budgets in the Championship.
His current contract runs until 2019 after he penned a new two-year deal, following the Terriers’ promotion last season.