FOX HUNT
Martinez and Henry in frame as Leicester boss Puel faces axe
CLAUDE PUEL is on the brink at Leicester City — with Roberto Martinez and Thierry Henry in the frame to replace him.
The Frenchman is understood to have just two games to save his job with Foxes chiefs ready to wield the axe during the international break, if results continue to go against them. City lost 2-1 to Manchester
United in their opening game of the season on Friday.
The Leicester boardroom’s concern stems from their finish last season, when they lost five of their last seven games – and that has left Puel clinging to his job.
City now face Wolves at home, Southampton away and Liverpool at home before the first international break of the new campaign.
Belgium boss Martinez, who was at Friday’s game, will be considered for the job if Puel (above) fails to turn it around. Henry, his assistant could link up with him again.
However, Henry has made no secret of the fact that he wants to become a manager in his own right, and the Foxes’ top job appeals to him as well.
Ahead of the World Cup, former Wigan, Swansea and Everton boss Martinez signed a two-year contract extension with Belgium which takes him beyond Euro 2020.
But a chance to return to club management would still appeal to him.
Leicester’s defeat on Friday came after a summer which has seen Harry Maguire (right) linked with a switch to Old Trafford. And Maguire’s Leicester team-mates saluted the centre-half for blocking out the distractions.
Full-back Ben Chilwell said: “It was very good to have Harry back. We all know what he is capable of.
“Harry is a Leicester player, he wants to play for Leicester – and he has made that clear to all of us.”