Chelsea target Wesley Fofana is a doubt for Leicester’s clash with Southampton on Saturday after missing part of this week’s training programme.
Sportsmail can reveal that the Frenchman has been absent from some of the Foxes’ preparation, with the precise reasons unclear. Manager Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday he would be prepared to drop Fofana if he did not feel the centre-back was in the right frame of mind to play.
‘Yes, 100 per cent,’ said Rodgers. ‘If the players aren’t totally focused and committed to the club and being here, or for whatever reason just aren’t in the right mindset, that won’t help us.’
Leicester defender Wesley Fofana set to miss the Foxes’ clash with Southampton on Saturday
Chelsea have submitted two bids for Fofana of up to £65million, both of which have been rejected by Leicester, who are looking for a fee in excess of the £80m they received from Manchester United for Harry Maguire three years ago – the current world record for a defender.
It is unclear whether Chelsea are prepared to meet these demands, despite their need for a centre-back and Fofana’s clear wish to join them.
Leicester have yet to sign a senior outfield player this term and as well as the offers for Fofana, they have also turned down two bids from Newcastle for midfielder James Maddison.
Rodgers called for a ‘healthy shake-up’ of his squad last winter but Leicester’s tight financial situation has left little room for manoeuvre in the market.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has demanded that his players are ‘focused and committed’
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Chelsea have had two bids of up to £65million rejected for the Frenchman in summer window
Rodgers has been at Leicester since February 2019, winning the FA Cup last year and also leading the club to consecutive fifth-place finishes in 2020 and 2021.
He said: ‘We’ll always look to progress and move forward. Maybe we don’t have the financial clout to be able to do anything thus far. I would never sit in my seat because I’m not very good at maintaining.
‘I’ve shown that in my career and my life that I’m not the type of manager that just likes to stand still. I’m no good at maintaining. I need to be building, I need to be creating, in order to be the best of myself and to give that to the club.
‘I will always be looking to progress the club, the team and the players, whether we have the finances or not.’