adminLeicester City are preparing for life in League One after back-to-back relegations, and they are eyeing a recently released Ipswich Town player who has enjoyed great success at that level in the past, Football League World can exclusively reveal.
Just two years after winning the Championship title under Enzo Maresca, the Foxes now find themselves in the third tier of English football for the first time since 2009 after suffering successive relegations.
The East Midlands outfit are expected to undergo significant changes at the King Power Stadium this summer, with several first-team players likely to be sold in a bid to balance the books. Abdul Fatawu is among the leading candidates to leave.
One positive development has been the appointment of former Southampton and Rangers boss Russell Martin as Leicester’s new head coach. He will now be tasked with bringing in fresh faces ahead of the new EFL season in August.
Leicester City eyeing free transfer deal for Conor Chaplin
Football League World understands that Leicester are interested in Conor Chaplin, who is currently searching for a new club after leaving Ipswich Town following the expiration of his contract.
Ipswich signed Chaplin from Barnsley for £750,000 in 2021, and he went on to become a key figure during the club’s rise from League One to the Premier League under Kieran McKenna.
The attacking midfielder scored 26 goals during Ipswich’s League One promotion-winning campaign and followed that with 13 goals in the Championship during the 2023-24 season as the Tractor Boys secured another promotion.
However, opportunities became limited in the Premier League, and Chaplin spent the final year of his contract on loan at Portsmouth, the club where he began his professional career.
His return to Fratton Park was not particularly successful, with the 29-year-old registering two goals and three assists in the Championship. Ipswich subsequently decided not to extend his contract, leaving him available on a free transfer this summer.
Leicester have yet to make a signing in the current transfer window. However, Bilal El Khannouss’ permanent move to Stuttgart has already been confirmed, while experienced players such as Patson Daka, Ricardo Pereira and Jordan Ayew have departed following the expiry of their contracts, significantly reducing the club’s wage bill.
With more player sales expected before the end of the summer, Leicester and Russell Martin will need to recruit wisely if they are to challenge for automatic promotion at the first attempt. Chaplin is understood to be one of the first players being considered by the new manager as he begins reshaping the squad.
admin
Abdulhafiz Teslim
