Manager: Nigel Pearson
Last season: Winners of the Football League Championship
Major signings: Leonardo Ulloa (£8m, Brighton), Marc Albrighton (free, Aston Villa), Jack Barmby (free, Manchester United), Matthew Upson (free, Brighton), Ben Hamer (free, Charlton), Louis Rowley (free, Manchester United).
Players out: Neil Danns (free, Bolton), Lloyd Dyer (free, Watford), George Taft (free, Burton Albion), Zak Whitbread (free, Derby), Paul Gallagher (loan, Preston), Ben Frempah (free, Ross County), Marko Futacs (free, Mersin Ýdmanyurdu SK), Sean St Ledger, Kieran Kennedy, Ryan Watson, Adam Dawson, Jak McCourt, Marcel Barrington, Jacob Blyth, Michael Cain, Harry Panayiotou, James Pearson, Alie Sesay, Adam Smith (released).
Expectations: In a word, survival.
Last year’s championship winners face an uphill battle to remain in the top flight for more than one season. Views about their chances of survival vary from person to person in JOE Towers but the majority believe that it may be too much for them. Of the three who were promoted, Leicester City have been the longest out of the top flight and that puts them at a disadvantage to the other two.
They have made some astute signings this window and the capture of Matthew Upson and Marc Albrighton on free transfers are a coup for the club. They, along with the likes of David Nugent, give them much needed Premier League experience in a season where cool heads will be needed in the relegation dog-fight battles.
Leicester City, along with QPR, have a bit more financial clout than some of the others who will be meandering at the bottom of the table and this will be a big advantage come the January transfer window especially if things aren’t going their way.
Irish angle… with Sean St Ledger being released from the club this summer, Donegal goalkeeper Conrad Logan is the sole representative of Ireland in the Leicester City squad.
If they were a fictional character… they’d be old Gill from the Simpsons. Down on their luck but they always come back for more. They enter the limelight spariodically and often don’t stick around for long.
Where will they end up? This season may be a step to far for Leicester, I expect them to be relegated along with Aston Villa and Burnley.
