Wout Faes has appeared to aim a subtle dig at under-pressure Leicester boss Marti Cifuentes after finally sealing his switch to Monaco.
The defender completed his move to the Ligue 1 side on loan for the rest of the season, with the option to make it permanent in the summer.
Faes joined the Foxes from Reims in the summer of 2022 on a five-year deal as Leicester looked to build on an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.
He endured a rollercoaster spell at the club on the pitch, which included two relegations and one promotion.
With aims of an immediate return to the top flight this season, Leicester have underwhelmed, and they currently sit in 12th.
They head to table-toppers Coventry on Saturday with Cifuentes the current favourite in the Championship sack race.
Wout Faes Has The Final Word
Faes was a first-team regular under Cifuentes this season up until he picked up a facial injury in the defeat against Sheffield United at the end of November.
It proved to be his final league appearance for Leicester after falling out of Cifuentes’ plans. Speculation of a rift behind the scenes was backed up by Monaco head coach Sébastien Pocognoli, who said the defender had been “cast aside for non-sporting reasons”.
Faes has opened up on the transfer by revealing he wanted to make the switch in the summer before the club pulled the plug.
He said: “My agent has been in contact with the club for the last two or three transfer windows, but it never materialised until now, certainly due to Leicester’s stance.
“But now a situation has arisen, and I’m happy to be here.
“This summer, there was a desire for me to leave on both sides, but despite some contact with clubs, it didn’t materialise. The coach brought me back into the squad, but for several reasons, it didn’t work out.”
What was particularly telling was Faes praising former boss Enzo Maresca for helping him enjoy his football but failing to mention Cifuentes.
He added: “I would have liked to stay three or four years in the Premier League with Leicester, which was a fairly stable club when I signed.
“The first year, we suffered an unexpected relegation, but thanks to that, I was able to meet a coach like Enzo Maresca, from whom I learned to develop a style of play that I enjoyed.
“Even though it was in the Championship, I had more fun because we were really good, and the way we played really suited me.”
Leicester Transfer Hijack Could Save Cifuentes
Cifuentes needs reinforcements if he is to keep his job and get the Foxes pushing towards the play-offs.
If the board decide to go in a different direction, former Rangers boss Russell Martin is the current favourite to become the next Leicester manager, with Robbie Keane’s name also in the mix.
Reports suggest Leicester are prepared to rival Hull City for Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell.
Dowell spent the second half of last season on loan with Birmingham City and helped fire them to the Championship.
He certainly knows what it takes to be promoted, with three on his CV with Sheffield United, Norwich and Birmingham.
The 28-year-old is deemed surplus to requirements at Rangers and hasn’t featured in the league since the second game of the season.
Leicester were also linked with striker Lyndon Dykes, but he’s completed a move to Charlton.
