There are two new players at Leicester City.
Transfer deals don't half get fans excited (normally), so join Owynn Palmer-Atkin and Matt Piper as they consider the deals and who might come in next.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester have announced their third pre-season game of the summer with a match against German side FC Augsburg.
The game will be played at Illerstadion in Kempten, Germany on Saturday, 3 August at 14:30 BST.
Augsburg finished 11th in the Bundesliga last season, and have been a mainstay in the league since they achieved their first promotion to the top flight in 2011.
In the latest episode of the When You're Smiling podcast, BBC Radio Leicester's Owynn Palmer-Atkin sits down with former Foxes defender Michael Morrison to discuss his career.
Morrison joined the club in 2008 and left for Sheffield Wednesday in 2011.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your thoughts on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's move to Chelsea, after the £30m fee eased concerns over meeting profit and sustainability rules.
Here is a flavour of your responses:
Stu: The badge on the front is always bigger than the name on the back. Always. This one stings a bit though. Homegrown talent is a rare thing. KDH has been progressing year on year at LCFC. Let's hope his London adventure goes the way of Ben Chilwell, rather than Danny Drinkwater.
Andy: Disappointed our best player from last season has had to be sold, but that is what happens. Losing Wilfred Ndidi and Dewsbury-Hall will make our midfield so weak. Already worried, even if our points deduction is reduced.
John: Very sad to see him go. I don’t think he wanted to go but has gone to benefit LCFC, putting his club first. Hopefully his sacrifice will not be in vain. The club has failed to manage its contracts and, more generally, its finances in recent seasons. The days of uncovering gems like N'Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez seem to have gone. Are we learning anything?
Reuben: Financially, it was the right decision. From a football perspective, terrible decision.
Neil: It is a very sad state of affairs that a homegrown lad who was fully committed to giving his all to the club he has supported all his life is forced to move to balance the Financial Fair Play books. He will be sadly missed by all the fans but we wish him well and hope he's not another player to end up on the Chelsea scrapheap.
Ben: Such a crucial player in a part of the field where we have little depth. He was one of my favourite players and I wish him all the best at Chelsea. It’s painful to watch another amazing Leicester player leave, especially one from our youth academy.
Dan: I feel that KDH cannot be criticised for moving to Chelsea, as 17 years with his hometown club is loyalty beyond words. I just hope he doesn't join the ex-Leicester scrapheap at Chelsea. If Maresca gets sacked, I do fear that potentially KDH might struggle for games, as we all know Chelsea have a massive squad to keep happy.
Dean: Gutted. He’s irreplaceable. Wish him all the best though. Let’s pray we stay up now.
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport Football News Reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester City can breathe a little easier now Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's £30m move to Chelsea has gone through.
The deal for the midfielder was completed over the weekend, meaning the club is expected to be able to include it in their 2023-24 accounts, therefore easing some profit and sustainability concerns.
While it may not make them disappear completely, the £10m compensation for former boss Enzo Maresca's own Chelsea transfer sees them bank £40m which will add to the growing confidence they can avoid a breach.
There is the first charge, handed out by the Premier League in March, for an alleged breach of their previous three seasons in the top flight still to be considered, though.
Leicester's referral to an independent commission frustrated the club, but they remain committed to co-operating in the process - something which benefited Nottingham Forest, who had their penalty reduced by two points last season.
There remains the possibility, albeit receding with every day, the Foxes could start the season with a points deduction.
Since Leicester were relegated in 2023, before the introduction of the top flight's new 'standard directions', the 12-week time frame to resolve cases quickly - something used in Forest's case – has not applied.
Image source, Getty ImagesOn the latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, the Athletic's Rob Tanner spoke about the impact of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's departure to Chelsea:
"From the footballing point of view, it is a blow. He's homegrown, he's one the fans identify with and his performances on the pitch have shown that he's developed.
"He was a very slow start. As soon as he went out on those loans to Blackpool and Luton, he made that step up and every time he was faced with another challenge, he met that challenge.
"When he became one of the main men in the Leicester side, he stepped up - and now he's going to have to do that at Chelsea. He is the type of character to do that.
"He is going to be a big loss, but I don't think it's a surprise that they had to sell him. It all depends on how they reinvest some of that money."
Leicester fan Shamir Mawji added: "I get the feeling he didn't want to leave. I think it's come about because of our PSR conditions.
"He'll be a massive loss. He's homegrown, he relates to the fans and the fans can relate to him.
"I just hope it doesn't end in the same way [Danny] Drinkwater's move did. I hope the boy flourishes. He's a great lad and it's absolutely gutting from the fans' perspective."
Image source, Getty ImagesMidfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has joined Chelsea for £30m.
The 25-year-old Foxes academy graduate has signed a six-year deal with the Blues to end his time at King Power Stadium.
How do you feel about Dewsbury-Hall's exit, Leicester fans? Disappointed to see a star player leave? And how do you feel about the fee?
A new episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast discussing midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's imminent departure to Chelsea has landed.
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesHighly-rated forward Amani Richards is set to sign a new three-year contract at Leicester City.
The 19-year-old has reportedly snubbed interest from clubs like Brentford, QPR and Sunderland to remain at the King Power Stadium.
London-born Richards, who can play as a striker or winger, is hoping to breakthrough with his first loan before ultimately having a first-team pathway under new manager Steve Cooper.
He is likely to be involved when Cooper begins pre-season training on Wednesday.
It follows an impressive record at academy level where he won the 2023 academy player of the season award and scored more than 20 goals in all competitions.
Brighton have been left frustrated after Chelsea agreed a deal to sign 25-year-old midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City even though the player had undergone a medical with the Seagulls and a fee was agreed between the two clubs. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Leicester City are close to agreeing a deal to sign 18-year-old midfielder Michael Golding from Chelsea. (The Athletic - subscription required), external
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport Football News Reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesPremier League clubs have been preparing for what has been described as the 'unofficial transfer deadline day' on Sunday.
To avoid charges and possible points deductions clubs must be compliant with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) - and 30 June is a key date.
Officially the summer transfer window does not close until Friday, 30 August but, as Nottingham Forest discovered to their cost last season, some Premier League clubs need to get business done now.
Villa and Everton have done business with each other, Lewis Dobbin moving to Villa Park and Tim Iroegbunam joining the Toffees, each for reported fees of about £9m.
Villa have also sold Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for £19m two years after signing him from Derby for £600,000. The midfielder made six appearances for Villa.
Ian Maatsen, meanwhile, Chelsea’s defender who spent the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, has moved to Villa for £35m.
Douglas Luiz's players-plus-cash transfer from Villa to Juventus is expected to go through soon.
Villa had medicals booked in for Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea this week, while Luiz's was scheduled for Las Vegas on Thursday as he is away with Brazil for the Copa America.
Leicester - who are already facing one charge for an alleged PSR breach - were put under a transfer embargo by the EFL in March but that ended once they became a Premier League club, following the top flight’s AGM earlier this month.
Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall represents their best sellable asset, given he came through the club’s academy and will generate pure profit.
Chelsea have had a bid rejected but talks are ongoing, and Brighton also have an interest.
Everton also rejected a £35m bid from Manchester United for defender Jarrad Branthwaite earlier this month.
Villa reportedly turned down £20m plus Giovani lo Celso from Tottenham for Jacob Ramsey, while Southampton and West Ham are discussing a move which would see Saints defender Kyle Walker-Peters move to the Hammers and midfielder Flynn Downes head in the other direction.
Leicester City fan Helen Thompson spoke to the When You're Smiling Podcast about the Foxes' pre-season plans, which currently include matches against Shrewsbury and Lens:
"From a financial side, it probably would have done us good [to do a similar pre-season tour to last year]. Any revenue at the minute seems helpful.
But last year I was concerned about the time between the trips and if it would impact Enzo Maresca's ability to work with the squad.
"It's kind of the opposite this year. I expect there will be some more fixtures, but if not then we're only going to get two real chances to see what [Steve] Cooper has been able to do.
"Less travel seems more sensible given the task at hand, but a few more games to see what that style of play could be would be preferable so we can all have a first look at it and judge."
Listen to the full episode here
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester faced Liverpool in Singapore in one of their pre-season friendlies before 2023-24
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea have made an offer for Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but it has fallen short of the Foxes' valuation.
Talks remain ongoing between the two parties, with an openness at Stamford Bridge to include various players in a potential swap or send them on loan to King Power Stadium.
Strikers Armando Broja and David Datro Fofana are reportedly being discussed as options, but the players are reluctant to be involved in such a deal, while midfielder Cesare Casadei, who spent part of last season on loan at Leicester, could also be offered.
Dewsbury-Hall has turned down the chance to move to Brighton but remains open to either moving to Chelsea or staying at his boyhood club Leicester.
Image source, Getty ImagesManagers will always outwardly support their players on the international stage, but you can be sure one or two will privately be hoping for an early exit from Euro 2024 for a few of their star men.
International tournament summers disrupt pre-season for managers.
Various players from different nations return to their clubs at different times, sometimes with injuries, holidays get postponed and rescheduled. As a general rule, the best players are more likely to play for the best nations and therefore go further in international tournaments.
The Euro 2024 final will take place on 14 July. Over half of Premier League clubs already have a pre-season fixture scheduled within 10 days of that.
Of English clubs, unsurprisingly, Premier League champions Manchester City have comfortably the most players in the Euro 2024 knockouts. The best represented Premier League side at the start of the competition have a full line-up of 11 stars still in Germany.
They are followed by the rest of last season's top three - Arsenal and Liverpool - who have eight and seven respectively. Manchester United also have seven while Brentford - aided by their healthy Danish contingent - have six and Crystal Palace five.
Championship play-off winners Southampton's three representatives were all eliminated at the group stage, while fellow newly promoted side Ipswich have not seen their summer impacted at all by players at Euro 2024.
Of the Championship-winning Leicester squad, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and defenders Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard remain in Germany - as does Turkey's Yunus Akgun, who spent last season on loan with the Foxes.
This data was provided by Opta and counts the clubs where players finished at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea have made a move to sign Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who Brighton are also interested in.
Albion are keen to sign Dewsbury-Hall in a cash-plus-player swap deal involving Poland midfielder Jakub Moder.
Moder is ready to switch but there are concerns that Chelsea's enquiry, made on Thursday, could cause Dewsbury-Hall to reject the move to the south coast.
Chelsea believe they would be the preferred choice for the 25-year-old, particularly as they can offer the chance to link up with manager Enzo Maresca, who joined the Blues this summer after delivering Leicester's Championship title and promotion to the Premier League last season.
The situation is complicated further by Dewsbury-Hall's general reluctance to leave his boyhood club, who he joined when he was eight.
In an interview with BBC Sport this week, Dewsbury-Hall said: "I have been here since I was a kid. I love everything about the club. I grew up and managed to play in the first team. I am happy.
"I have never said I am actively wanting to leave. That sort of stuff is not up to me. You never know with football - the season is about to start, so we will see."
The Foxes, who hired Steve Cooper to succeed Maresca, are in a poor position under the Premier League profit and sustainability rules and it is thought they need to sell the academy graduate to satisfy the regulations.
Brentford are also reportedly interested in Dewsbury-Hall.
Image source, Getty ImagesLynn Wyeth, a board member for the Foxes Trust spoke to the When You're Smiling podcast about Leicester's increased ticket prices for next season:
"We were pretty surprised to see the increases. Although we expected a small increase because everything is going up, the size of it was a a lot higher than we envisaged.
"I know they've kept prices down for some years but it's a really big hit to take this year. Some of the category A tickets have risen by nearly 50% from last year.
"We immediately got a lot of members, and other fans, getting in touch with us who were pretty shocked and upset - and some very angry.
"It felt that they were really pricing families out. We had a lot of people who take children saying they can't afford to go now. We're a bit disappointed that there wasn't the engagement with us beforehand.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see some individuals or groups take action. We've already seen people saying that they won't be going to games or buying shirts this year.
"There's a lot to think about going forward whether this is the best strategy for everyone."
