Leicester City could see three high-profile players leave the King Power Stadium between now and the transfer deadline of 7PM on Monday, February 2nd, due to financial difficulties at the East Midlands club.

According to talkSPORT, the trio of Harry Winks, Wout Faes, and Boubakary Soumare might all be on their way as the Foxes try to revamp their team following an exceptionally disappointing first half of the season under Marti Cifuentes’ management.

Leicester and their fans are no strangers to being on an emotional rollercoaster as a result of occurrences at the King Power Stadium, having returned to the Championship for the second time in three years at the end of the previous season.

It was not surprising that the Blues were immediately named as one of the expected front-runners for automatic promotion back to English football’s top table this season, despite having a vastly different financial landscape than Ipswich Town and Southampton, who were also relegated to the EFL after being promoted in second place or through the play-offs in 2023/24.

Faes and Winks were, of course, members of Enzo Maresca’s title-winning club, and they had extensive top-level and international experience with both England and Belgium in their separate careers.

However, it is evident that Leicester are in need of a significant reset, with the fear of a points deduction looming over their short-term aim for the rest of the season.

They now lie 13th in the table, with 34 points from 25 games, but have lost three of their last five games.

Leicester City is preparing for a probable triple transfer exodus amid financial uncertainty.

As previously stated, in addition to the possibility of signing former West Ham United and Jamaican international forward Michael Antonio as a free agent following the early termination of Julian Carranza’s disastrous loan move from Feyenoord, talkSPORT claims that Winks, Faes, and Soumare could all be off the Foxes’ wage bill within the next four weeks.

Winks was considered as a statement signing by Maresca in the summer of 2023, joining from Tottenham Hotspur for £10 million.

The 29-year-old, a 10-time Three Lions international, was instrumental in Leicester’s title victory two years ago, but has since failed to improve on those achievements.

According to Capology, the midfielder was involved in a dispute with former manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy last season, and he has since fallen out of favour with the under-fire Cifuentes, having been omitted from his squad since the 3-2 home defeat to Sheffield United on November 29th, raising serious concerns about his future despite earning an ESTIMATED wage of £90,000 per week.

Faes has likewise been away for around four and a half years, following his £15 million move from Stade de Reims. The 27-year-old was one of several players rumored to be leaving after relegation, with Besiktas of the Turkish Super Lig and VfL Wolfsburg of the Bundesliga failing to reach a deal.

It was subsequently speculated that Leicester would be willing to sell Faes for €10 million, with Serie A club Lazio apparently expressing interest following the summer window’s closing.

Soumare was another high-profile addition during Leicester’s reign as Premier League champions, arriving from LOSC Lille for £17 million months after the club won the FA Cup in May 2021.

However, as with countless other purchases, the French midfielder has failed to justify the price tag. He has made just 109 appearances for City in that time, and it was reported that he was ready to leave last summer after the club was demoted.

Soumare has missed the last seven games, as have his teammates, due to a knee injury.

Leicester City’s winter transfer business will be critical amid financial difficulties.
With no firm date set for when a points deduction will be imposed on the club, regardless of incomings and outgoings, Leicester must make the transfer window a success in a variety of ways.

Although they would undoubtedly incur a significant loss, which is a scathing indictment of how they have previously behaved in the market, losing three players who have struggled to find consistent minutes despite commanding high salaries would go a long way toward alleviating their future financial issues.

From a football viewpoint, many have hypothesized that Cifuentes has not taken a liking to Winks in recent weeks, implying that, at this juncture in his career, the former Spurs player should try to rekindle his form elsewhere.