Claudio Ranieri expects Leicester City to agree new terms with Danny Drinkwater as the Premier League champions turn their attention to prioritising the future of another key player in the wake of Riyad Mahrez’s decision to sign a new contract.
Drinkwater has just under two years remaining on his current deal and Ranieri sounded confident that an agreement would soon be reached with the England international’s representative. Speaking during the club’s pre-season training camp in Austria last month, Drinkwater said that he would “love to commit” to the club.
Ranieri gave the impression that an announcement was imminent. “I think Drinky is very, very close,” the Leicester manager said. “I am very happy with Drinky. He had a fantastic season and I am sure also he can improve. He has more confidence. It is the only year he played nearly all the matches. He can extend his career here.”
Assuming Leicester hold on to Drinkwater – it would take a strange turn of events for that not to be the case – the Midlands club will have retained all but one of the players that led them to the title last season. N’Golo Kanté, who joined Chelsea in a £30m deal last month, is the one that got away and Ranieri admitted that the Frenchman’s departure took him by surprise.
Asked how many players he imagined he would lose in the summer, Ranieri replied: “If I am honest, no one. I thought everybody wanted to stay with Leicester and continue to fight. I made a mistake. One did want to go. Kanté is finished. And it is not an excuse now because there isn’t Kanté.”
Mahrez has followed in the footsteps of Jamie Vardy by agreeing a new four-year deal and Ranieri hopes the Algeria international will play with even greater freedom now that the speculation about a potential high-profile transfer has been put to bed. “It all depends on the character of the athlete. I am a character where nothing makes me strange. I am focused on my job and I hope also the players are too. But maybe Riyad could be now a little more free,” he said.
Ranieri says Jeffrey Schlupp will remain at the club, despite West Brom’s determination to sign the 23-year-old winger. West Brom have had two bids rejected, the second rising to £12m, amid suggestions that Schlupp is keen to play regular first-team football – something he is unlikely to get at Leicester.
Ranieri said he had spoken to Schlupp and claimed the player told him he wants to continue at Leicester. “He stays with us, he is very happy. And I am happy when I have this position – it is important to have a lot of quality players.”
