Wesley Fofana joined Chelsea from Leicester City last summer. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana will not be selected in the matchday squad to face Chelsea this weekend, manager Brendan Rodgers has claimed (h/t Fabrizio Romano on Twitter). The Blues take on the Foxes in a Premier League encounter on Saturday, August 27.
The French defender has been linked with a move to the Blues this summer and that has seemingly derailed Rodgers’ plans for his team. Speaking in an interview (h/t Metro), the Northern Irishman questioned Fofana’s professionalism to some extent.
He refused to compare it to the Harry Maguire situation when the Englishman departed the Foxes for Manchester United. Rodgers said:
“No, it was totally different. I was aware over the course of the summer that that could happen. Harry in terms of his behaviour and his focus for the club, he was fantastic right until the last minute, then he moved on. It was different. Our focus is with the team.”
Rodgers added that he is not thinking about a fourth bid from the Blues for Fofana and that he is focused on the team that he has. Romano, in his tweet, has gone on to cite Rodgers’ quotes and confirm that the 21-year-old will be dropped from Leicester’s squad this weekend.
The defender is still training with the U23 side. It is clear that this situation has irked Rodgers but Chelsea would not be bothered about that.
Their main concern would be on Fofana’s potential arrival. A fee of £80million is being quoted and Rodgers, in the same interview, goes on to give his verdict on reinvesting that money elsewhere.
“Hopefully, that can be the case. It would be really good for the team, to improve the squad. Everyone knows the situation, and until that changes, we work with what we have.”
Good news for Chelsea could spell bad news for Trevoh Chalobah. The English defender has been seriously lacking in playing time ever since April and this season, has been dropped to the bench in favour of playing Reece James as a makeshift centre-back.
That was the case against Leeds United, where the Blues were thrashed 3-0. If he isn’t getting the nod when Fofana is here, then the Frenchman’s arrival could mean he slips further down the pecking order.
The Blues have already signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in defence and have renewed captain Cesar Azpilicueta’s contract to offer further solidity in the backline.
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