Why a new deal for Christian Fuchs would be a smart move by Leicester
According to Daily Mail, Leicester City are planning to hand a new deal to veteran left-back Christian Fuchs before the end of the season.
The former Schalke man, who was a part of Leicester’s 2016 Premier League-winning campaign is tied to the club only until the summer. And the report suggests that Brendan Rodgers wants to extend Fuchs’ stay in the Midlands.
Fuchs, 33, played over 100 games each for SV Mattersburg and Schalke before joining Leicester in 2015. He was a consistent member of the Foxes squad in his first three years at the club. He was an integral member of the side that won the Premier League title in 2016 under Claudio Ranieri.
He has made 133 appearances so far for Leicester and in the process, he has scored 3 goals and provided 13 assists. In his last two seasons, he has played a bit-part role for the team but is still an important member.
Meanwhile, Leicester are hoping to finish in the top four this season and qualify for the Champions League. They started off brilliantly but have found themselves in a slightly difficult situation in the last few weeks.
They are currently third in the league table, 7 points behind second-placed Manchester City after a 0-1 loss to the Etihad outfit last weekend. However, Rodgers would be hoping to keep his key players for the new season in order to do well in the Champions League and the Premier League.
The manager has only two left-backs available at his disposal in Ben Chilwell and Christian Fuchs. While Fuchs’ contract is set to expire in the summer, Chilwell’s future at the club is uncertain and he could be on his way out of the King Power Stadium at the end of the season. And this would leave them with no established left-backs in their ranks.
Hence, the manager should immediately offer fresh terms to the Austrian international, who has been with the Foxes for a long time.
The 33-year-old also made 78 appearances for his country and had played at a higher level for a long time. His experience would surely be valuable to the team, especially if they qualify to play in Europe. He has already featured in the Champions League with Leicester back in the 2016/17 season.
Predominantly a left-back, Fuchs can also play in the midfield with ease and he has also featured as a centre-back in recent times. He is capable of playing in several positions and this could help the manager change plans according to the situation.
Read more
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Verdict
Though the Austrian international is beyond his prime, he has done a decent job in 14 appearances across all competitions this season. He has been a valuable asset to the team and could be a perfect backup.
Hence, it would be wise of the club to hand him a new contract at the earliest and keep him at the club for some more years.
