Attention, everyone, this is Youri’s captain speaking...
Kasper reveals ‘selfish reasons’ for hoping star will sign a new contract
Kasper schmeichel “selfishly” hopes Youri Tielemans signs a new contract with Leicester City after the midfielder said he was keeping his options open.
City captain schmeichel gave his thoughts on the star midfielder’s comments on Wednesday afternoon as he previewed the europa League clash with Napoli.
In an interview with sky sports on Tuesday, Tielemans had said he was “open to everything” as his representatives and the club discuss a new deal, with two years remaining on his current contract.
Unsurprisingly, given the midfielder’s influential performances over the past couple of years, schmeichel is keen for him to stay put.
“I saw that interview, I think it was the journalist leading him more than anything,” the goalkeeper said.
“Youri is a world-class player. He’s shown over his time here what an important player he is for what we’re trying to do here. From a selfish point of view, I hope he’s here for many more years.”
Meanwhile, manager Brendan rodgers believes his midfielder gave an “honest” answer but one that doesn’t concern him.
He says it will only be an issue if Tielemans’ commitment or intensity on the field is affected, which rodgers reckons he cannot foresee, with the Belgian “one of the best professionals” he has worked with.
“I saw what Youri has said and like I always get from Youri, he gave an honest answer,” the boss said.
“I know I have a player who is so committed, one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with in my career as a manager. He’s a young player who gave an honest answer. Talks have been ongoing.
“every day he comes in, he’s a top-class professional. He’s shown his importance to me in how we work. Because of the professionalism of Youri and the type of man he is, that won’t change, whether he has four years or six months on a contract.
“For me, I’ll give everything to them to help them improve. Then it’s a dialogue between his representatives and the club that determines how long he stays. He’s happy, he’s working well and I’m just delighted he’s with us.”
He added: “I concentrate on the football and making sure he’s the best player he can be, and giving him the support, culture and environment to be that.
“It’s natural, he’s a talented player who is in discussions with the club. We’ll see where it takes us. There’s no drama with it, it’s just the reality.
“It only becomes a problem for me if there is a lack of commitment or intensity, but that’s never been the case with Youri. He’s a top-class professional, a joy to work with and while he is here, for however long that is, I will always give the best to his development.”
Tielemans’ importance to rodgers is shown in the number of minutes he has played. The 24-year-old has played in 73 of City’s last 75 matches, while this calendar year, he has missed just 24 minutes of football across the club’s 35 fixtures.