History looks like it’s about to repeat itself for Leicester City as relegation back to the Championship seems inevitable.
Leicester are nine points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers with nine games to play and with a daunting fixture list to come after the international break, the writing is on the wall.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s been unable to turn around the club’s fortunes but the blame must lie with the Leicester owners, who made the wrong appointment in the first place by choosing Steve Cooper, as well as a catalogue of baffling transfer decisions.
Now, almost two years to the day when Leicester were last relegated, the Foxes are about to head straight back to the second tier.
Eight of the Leicester squad that were relegated last time out are still at the club
A mass exodus is expected at Leicester this summer and many will go onto pastures new.
This is something that should’ve happened in the summer of 2023, but failed to materialise.
Big names such as Youri Tielemans, Harvey Barnes and James Maddison all moved on, and others departed at the end of last season, but eight of that squad still remain at the club.
Of that squad list, the following are still at the King Power Stadium: Daniel Iversen, Wout Faes, Luke Thomas, Boubakary Soumare, Jamie Vardy, Patson Daka, Ricardo Pereira and Wanya-Marcal.
Those who have remained should be used to that sinking feeling and want to avoid it a second time around, but mentality is a funny feeling.
The Foxes romped their way to the Championship title – which was never in doubt anyway. They played without the handbrake off if truth be told and that losing feeling quickly crept back in.
A losers mentality is never a good recipe and given that so many of those are still at the club, it’s not rocket science to see why they’re back where they were two years ago.
Where are the Leicester City squad that were relegated in 2023 now?
Starting XI
Daniel Iversen: After the atrocious form of Danny Ward, the Danish goalkeeper was given a run in-between the sticks until the end of the season. Iversen failed to repay the faith and the Foxes went down. He is still at the club now but since Iversen is out of contract this summer, he is almost certainly going to be moving on.
Timothy Castagne: Was a relatively solid player during his time at the King Power Stadium, but Castagne was one of the first to leave the sinking ship. He earned himself a move to Fulham and in fairness, it’s one that’s paid off. The Belgian is part of a team that has been punching above their weight and could be in Europe next season.
Wout Faes: Very much still at Leicester. Faes has been criticised plenty of times this season, with Matt Piper branding Faes’ defending childlike against Manchester United. Faes was linked with Lazio in January and should be heading for the exit door.
Jonny Evans: It appeared that Evans couldn’t wait to get out of the door once Leicester’s fate had been sealed. Evans wore the armband the day the Foxes went down but seemingly had emptied his locker and gone off into the sunset without saying goodbye. He returned to Man United that summer and has played a lot more than anyone expected.
Luke Thomas: One of the three Foxes academy stars who started that terrible day, Thomas has had a renaissance in the 24/25 campaign, coming in from the cold and impressing. Thomas was the subject of a bid from Hoffenheim in the winter and interest in him could spark back up again following an upturn in performances.
Boubakary Soumare: If you asked anyone if Boubakary Soumare would still be a Leicester player in the year 2025, you’d have been laughed at. But no, really, he is still here. In fact, the Frenchman has been a regular in the starting XI for a large part of the campaign. Read into that what you will.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: One of the few that hurt. Dewsbury-Hall stayed and got his boyhood club back to the top flight before he was sold for £30m to Chelsea in the 2024 summer transfer window. His love for the Foxes has never died and Dewsbury-Hall admitted he wouldn’t celebrate a goal against Leicester if he scored. Out of everyone, he would be the only one welcomed back with open arms.
Youri Tielemans: The goal scorer of the most famous goal in Leicester history – aside from that Eden Hazard goal. Tielemans was a high earner at the club and simply too good for the Championship. A move away should’ve arguably happened sooner and he was allowed to leave for free and join Aston Villa. There, he has thrived under Unai Emery and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
James Maddison: Ah, James Maddison. One of the most divisive players to have worn the shirt for Leicester. At times, he was unplayable and a joy to watch. On others, he was the most frustrating footballer in the world. Maddison was accused of ‘going missing’ at the end of that campaign and he was one of the few that got a good move out of the relegation. He joined Tottenham Hotspur, where he has become an important first-team talent.
Harvey Barnes: Another academy star who reluctantly had to depart. Barnes was a rare glimmer of hope in large parts of that season and subsequently earned a move to Newcastle United. Barnes has suffered with injuries up on Tyneside but started and impressed in their Carabao Cup final win against Liverpool, making history by bringing silverware to St James’ Park for the first time in 70 years.
Kelechi Iheanacho: Iheanacho departed with a smile on his face when he left Leicester in 2024. A hot and cold player that would go on the most sensational run of goal scoring form, only to then look like he couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo. The Nigerian is now on loan at Middlesbrough after struggling with Sevilla but it seems that even the Boro fans haven’t warmed to Iheanacho.
Substitutes
Jamie Vardy: Still with the Foxes and a certified legend. It’s unthinkable to imagine a world without Vardy and even though he is 38 and lost some of the pace he used to be blessed with, he still chips in with goals here and there.
Alex Smithies: Once considered a coup of a signing had he joined in the early 2010s, Smithies was the honourary third-choice goalkeeper here for the vibes. He probably didn’t expect those vibes to be so bad, however. Smithies was responsible for a hilarious scenario where Foxes fans voted for him to be player of the season after the shocking campaign. Smithies is now retired though.
Harry Souttar: The Australian’s time in the East Midlands has been pretty miserable to say the least. Despite impressing any time he is given a cameo, none of the managers have fancied him and he was out on loan at Sheffield United before picking up a serious injury.
Ricardo Pereira: Back in the day, Pereira was one of the best full backs on the planet but injuries have caught up with him and now he is some way off that level. He’s still a very good player and one of the few that have been up to the task in the relegation fight.
Patson Daka: Brought in as the player to replace Vardy long-term, Daka has struggled to reach his full potential and has been given plenty of chances. The Zambia striker remains at the club for now, but summer 2025 will almost certainly bring an end to his time at Leicester.
Wanya-Marcal: A youngster named on the bench that day, Wanya-Marcal had a handful of Championship appearances but was sent out on loan to a second tier Netherlands club this season, only for a serious injury to derail his campaign. Marcal is now back at Leicester.
Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy & Dennis Praet: All three of these were decent squad players for the Foxes and nothing more. Amartey and Mendy left that summer but Praet stayed for the title-winning campaign. While Mendy and Praet have continued their careers at Lens and Royal Antwerp respectively, Amartey is currently without a club.