Wesley Fofana: Leicester without Chelsea target for visit to Stamford Bridge as transfer uncertainty continues
Wesley Fofana will not play for Leicester away at Chelsea this weekend; Leicester have so far knocked back three bids from Chelsea for the central defender
Friday 26 August 2022 14:33, UK
Wesley Fofana will be unavailable for selection for Leicester's visit to Chelsea this weekend, amid ongoing uncertainty about his future.
Fofana has emerged as Chelsea's main defensive target, and Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers was asked about his availability for Saturday's trip to Stamford Bridge and the likelihood of Fofana staying beyond the end of the transfer window.
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"He won't be available for the weekend and has trained with U23 squad," Rodgers told reporters.
"I'm not sure [if a deal will get done], my concentration is on the players that we have, and the team. I can't lose energy. If something will be done it will be done with the clubs. Until that happens we just have to work with what we have."
Rodgers added: "Hopefully (there will be some transfer business done between now and the end of the window). That would be really good for the team to be able to do that, to improve the squad is always important. But until that changes, we will work with what we have."
A third Chelsea bid for Fofana, worth £70m in total, was immediately rejected earlier this week.
Chelsea's latest offer was believed to be £60m with a possible £10m in add-ons - but the additional payments were described to Sky Sports News as "ambitious" targets.
Chelsea previously had two bids in excess of £60m rejected.
Fofana wants to move to Stamford Bridge this summer and, speaking after Leicester's penalty shoot-out victory at Stockport in the EFL Cup, Rodgers confirmed Fofana was training with the club's U23s after failing to turn up to a session last week.
The centre-back was left out of Leicester's defeat to Southampton at the weekend because Rodgers said his mind was not in the right place.
"In terms of Wesley, just a young player who is not quite in the right frame of mind at the moment to play," Rodgers said after the 2-1 loss on Saturday. "A lot going on behind the scenes, which I understand. It's a difficult moment for him.
"He's a good kid, he's been great for us whilst he's been here and at this moment it's a difficult one for him. You can't afford that, certainly playing a Premier League game if you're not 100 per cent fully focused."
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