‘Warrior’ Bennett to know his future at end of season
CITY NEWS RODGERS PRAISES ON-LOAN DEFENDER WHO MADE HIS DEBUT AGAINST CRYSTAL PALACE
RYAN Bennett’s future at Leicester City will be assessed at the end of the season – after his potentially crucial involvement in the final five games.
The on-loan centre-back made his debut on Saturday, five months after his arrival from Wolves, replacing Ben Chilwell at half-time and helping City record their first victory of the restart.
And with the England left-back likely to miss tonight’s trip to Arsenal with a foot problem, Bennett could make his first start for the club at the Emirates Stadium.
Certainly, Rodgers has plenty of confidence in the 30-year-old, despite his absence from the side up to now.
“We wanted to bring in a centrehalf and who could offer us cover, who could fit into how we would work,” said Rodgers on Bennett.
“I’ve known Ryan for a long time and saw the great job he did for Wolves, and took the opportunity to take him.
“He was very clear on the role, it was to come in and act as cover for us.
“He’s not been involved in too many squads, but it’s a testament of how focused he’s been, that although he hasn’t been involved, he’s never been disappointed.
“I felt that when we had the injury to Ben, we were playing a back three, so I felt Ryan could come in, because he knows the role having played it for the last few seasons at Wolves.
“He’s trained so hard, he’s a good professional, he’s a good guy.
“I always knew that if the time came for him to come in, he would be ready. And he came in and did very well.
“He’s got great game intelligence, he’s a warrior, he’s dominant in the air, he passes the ball well and he’s a good communicator. I thought he was very important for us in the win.
“That’s a testament to never getting disappointed because he hasn’t been playing.
“He proved to be fantastic cover for us and did a great job.”
The loan deal that brought Bennett to City included a permanent transfer clause should the centreback make a set number of appearances.
City are expected to be in the market for a centre-half in the summer with no permanent arrivals since Harry Maguire’s departure, and the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic could boost Bennett’s
LONG STRETCH: Ryan Bennett tries to block Christian Benteke’s shot in the match on Saturday
He’s got great game intelligence, he’s dominant in the air and passes the ball well
chances of a prolonged stay. But Rodgers says any decisions on his future won’t be taken until the end of the month.
“What the future holds, we don’t know, we’ll assess it at the end of the season,” said Rodgers. “I’m happy for him to get a really good performance.”