A summer clear-out could be on the cards for Leicester City as relegation to the Championship stares them straight in the face.
Leicester will need to relieve their wage bill of some high earners should the inevitable happen, and one of those could be centre-back Wout Faes.
The Belgian defender has endured a terrible campaign at the King Power Stadium, seeing his lack of mobility and awareness exploited by the league’s most dangerous attackers.
On Sunday, Faes was at fault for Rasmus Hojlund’s goal, and that has been the story of his season, letting his poor concentration get the better of him.
In the summer transfer window, Ruud van Nistelrooy must cash in on his underperforming centre-back and replace him with someone already at the club.
Ben Nelson is the perfect Wout Faes replacement
In January, Lazio wanted to sign Faes. There is hope that a deal can be struck for the 26-year-old in the summer, and that would be a relief to many.
Faes hasn’t been good enough this season, and although he excelled last time in the Championship, relegation should offer youngster Ben Nelson the opportunity.
Nelson broke into the Leicester first-team under Enzo Maresca last term, appearing five times in the closing stages of the campaign.
The 21-year-old was then loaned to newly-promoted Oxford United in 2024, presenting him the chance to play regular second-tier football.
Unfortunately, after Nelson was earning rave reviews at Oxford, the talented centre-back suffered a thigh injury that kept him out from early November to the start of March 2025.
The Leicester loanee has since returned to action and played in the 2-1 loss against Hull City from the bench before starting in the 1-0 win over Watford.
Now, he’s looking to cement his place in the heart of Des Buckingham’s defence as the U’s look to stay in the Championship.
What Enzo Maresca said about Ben Nelson in 2024
Should their relegation get confirmed, Leicester shouldn’t have to worry about replacing Faes in defence, as Nelson can save the club millions.
Maresca was responsible for integrating the academy graduate into the first team during the title-winning campaign, and the Foxes reaped the rewards.
The 2004-born star is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has a great understanding of the game, with Maresca claiming Nelson has a ‘big future’ in 2024.
“We know what kind of player Ben is,” the Italian said. “He will have a big future. It’s just how we manage him. It’s important when we give him the chance that he shows us that he’s ready and he shows us what kind of player he is. For sure, we’re going to give him more chances.”
Leicester fans would love Nelson to become a pivotal figure in defence, and given a season in the Championship is on the cards, who would back against him cementing his place in the lineup.