Choudhury had to quit for sake of his career
MIDFIELDER TIPPED TO DO WELL ON LOAN AT WATFORD
HAMZA Choudhury needed to leave Leicester City for the good of his career, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.
The defensive midfielder joined Championship promotion hopefuls Watford on a season-long loan this week, ending a run of five years in the City first team squad.
Choudhury has only started eight league games for City over the past two seasons, and his opportunities were likely to be reduced further this year with no European football in the schedule.
But Rodgers had nothing but praise for the academy product, and backed him to be a hit with the Hornets.
Rodgers, who enjoyed the first spell of his managerial career at Vicarage Road, knows the supporters there will get behind him too.
“Hamza is going to a fantastic club with a good manager (Rob Edwards) who’s just gone in,” Rodgers said. “I’m sure he’ll do really well.
“He’s been a really valuable member of our squad, but for him to progress he needs to play more.
“This year, with one game a week here, his game time was going to be limited.
“He had a brilliant attitude every day in training, Hamza, he has been first class.
“He was always there for the team.
But he needed to play games.
“He’s got the opportunity to go to Watford, who have a really good manager who will want to put his mark on the team, and great supporters who will support Hamza while he is there.
“I think it’s a really good move for both.”
There are set to be plenty more exits over the course of the next few weeks as City look to move on fringe players like Boubakary Soumare and Jannik Vestergaard.
But there are prospects like Callum Wright and George Hirst who may be leaving too.
Wright and Hirst are both over the age of 21, and so would have to be registered in City’s Premier League squad if they are to feature this season.
However, neither have been given a squad number for the new campaign, despite impressing out on loan last season.
“There’s a possibility of that, I’ve spoken to some of those players, so they know where their situation is at,” Rodgers added.
“For some of them, it will be about getting experience outside of here.”