Leicester Mercury

The biggest pre-season winners – and losers

WHICH STARS BENEFITED MOST FROM THE SUMMER SCHEDULE

- By JORDAN BLACKWELL jordan.blackwell@reachplc.com @jrdnblackw­ell leicesterm­ercury.co.uk/sport

THIRTY-THREE days and five games after they returned for preseason training, Leicester City kick off their Premier League campaign on Saturday.

But who has benefited the most from the summer schedule? And who is in a worse place? We take a look...

WINNERS

Game-by-game, the real Ricardo Pereira has returned.

For the second half of last season, City fans watched a dynamic fullback strive to reach his best but unable to, the Portuguese hampered by the after-effects of a long-term injury.

The first half of the Community Shield was his best half of football in 18 months.

He made a superb eight tackles in the game, showing that sharpness and confidence to get a toe in without bringing down his man, while played with agility and desire in attack.

With James Justin and Timothy Castagne out, Ricardo has used preseason to return to his best and secure a place in the 11.

“He’s really taken my eye,” Rodgers said of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, right, after he scored the first goal of City’s pre-season in the draw with QPR.

The manager went on to give a rave review of the returning midfielder, whose efforts in pre-season, from his impressive beep-test performanc­e to his calm, crisp passing on the pitch, have secured him a place in the first-team squad for the season.

He may have some way to go to establish himself as a first-team regular, but to get a place in the squad in a competitiv­e area of the pitch for City is an achievemen­t already.

An injury always presents an opportunit­y, and Ayoze Perez, right, may be a beneficiar­y of Wesley Fofana’s lengthy spell on the sidelines.

With the focus now on bringing in a new centreback to replace the stricken Frenchman, City’s attentions have turned away from bringing in a right-sided winger.

And so Perez has started the last three matches on the wing, and will likely do so again against Wolves.

It’s a surprise, given Rodgers himself admitted the Spaniard is better in the middle, but his movement and link-up play with Ricardo has been good, and his natural drift inside has helped get the best out of the full-back behind him.

With his goal threat, he looks likely to get the nod over Marc Albrighton this

weekend.

Bad luck strikes again. After a season battling injuries, City have been dealt the hammer blow of losing one of their star players for more than half of the season. Fofana, the victim of a reckless, pointless challenge, now faces six months recovering from a broken leg and ligament damage.

Given how he performed as a teenager in his first season at a new club in a new country, the sky was the limit for Fofana. But now his developmen­t is on pause.

Fans desperate for a new winger

City got the three deals they had prioritise­d over the line by the start of July, making quick headway to strengthen their squad.

But in the ideal window, there were always plans to bring in a winger, filling the gap vacated by Cengiz Under after they decided not to renew his loan at the club. Those plans have been greatly affected by Fofana’s injury, which, combined with concerns over Jonny Evans’ foot problem, means bringing in a centreback is now the priority for the next few weeks.

If money needs to be spent, it could stop City bringing in a wide-man. For many supporters, this was the number one position they wanted to see a new player come in. They could be left disappoint­ed.

Ricardo Pereira

Papy Mendy, Hamza Choudhury and Dennis Praet had already seen their game-time limited because Youri Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi are practicall­y undroppabl­e, but now they have seen two players in Soumare and Dewsbury-Hall come in and jump above them in the pecking order.

With opportunit­ies now even less likely to come their way, a transfer away could be in the offing for at least two of the three over the next few weeks. For latest news, visit:

Ryan Bertrand

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Ayoze Perez

 ??  ?? Midfield back-ups
Midfield back-ups
 ??  ?? LOSERS
Wesley Fofana
LOSERS Wesley Fofana
 ??  ??

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