A Leicester City summer transfer target has been banished by his current club after he was criticised over his lack of ambition.
All in all, it was a rather productive transfer window for Leicester City.
The Foxes signed nine players in the summer, with the only notable departure being Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s move to Chelsea.
Despite the busy period for Leicester, there were still some targets who Steve Cooper missed out on and it now appears that one of those players in question will be wishing he managed to finalise a move to the King Power Stadium.
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Leicester City target frozen out by manager after deadline day move
Attacking reinforcements were high on Leicester’s shopping list this summer and one of those linked with a move was Steven Bergwijn.
Formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, the Dutch international is currently at Ajax but appeared to be surplus to requirements.
After a move back to the Premier League failed to materialise the wide man settled on making a big-money move to Saudi Arabia and joined Al Ittihad for £17.6m on 2 September 2024.
Bergwijn may well be earning more money than he could ever imagine but it will come at a cost, with Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman confirming that he will have no role to play in the international side going forward.
“Steven Bergwijn goes to Saudi Arabia at age 26. It’s clear that this has nothing to do with sporting ambition,” Koeman said.
“His book with the Dutch national team is closed. He probably knows what I would have said this.”
Leicester striker looking forward to new start after ‘difficult period’
It’s not just potential incomings who had been left out in the cold, as Tom Cannon would well know.
Since making a £7m move from Everton in 2023, Cannon had only started three games for Leicester and had become frustrated with his lack of playing time.
The club had looked to secure a permanent deal for the youngster but with no acceptable offers coming in, he joined Championship side Stoke City on loan until the end of the season.
Speaking about his move away, Cannon reflected on a difficult period for himself, saying: “I suppose it’s been hard.
“Obviously as a player you want to be playing so when you’re not it’s difficult but it’s how you balance it.
“I’ve been going into training every day and giving it my all. For whatever reason I haven’t had the minutes but when I have played I think I’ve done well.”
Had a move for Bergwijn been completed, it may have even allowed Cannon to go permanently or at least earlier in the window.