Leicester City will spend just their second season in the third tier across their 142-year history next campaign, as the Foxes will be keen to make their stay in League One a short one.
Leicester’s downfall, at this stage, has been widely documented.
The Foxes were crowned champions of England a decade ago when they lifted the Premier League trophy under the guidance of Claudio Ranieri, in one of sport’s greatest underdog stories.
Now, three relegations in four years means Leicester will be playing in the third tier for just the second time in their history next season, with this summer looking like one of the biggest in the club’s history.
Relegation to League One presents an array of financial disarray, and failure to bounce back at the first time of asking will only put the club in an even trickier position.
A head coach to guide them into next season still must be decided, and with numerous big earners set to leave, every decision they make will be vital, as the Foxes should look to kick off their summer window with the addition of a former defender with ample EFL experience now available on a free.
Leicester City should look to re-sign Callum Elder from Derby County following his release from the Rams
Australian defender Callum Elder started his career in the youth system of Leicester City and spent time out on loan with the likes of Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Brentford, Barnsley, Wigan Athletic, and Ipswich Town before joining Hull City on a permanent deal in the summer of 2019, having failed to make a senior appearance for the Foxes.
He would become a regular on Humberside for three years in the Championship and League One, before Derby County snapped him up three years later on a free transfer.
The left-back remained a regular under John Eustace following Paul Warne’s departure all the way up until February of this year, where he has spent the final few months of his deal at Pride Park recovering from knee surgery, with the club having now confirmed his departure following the expiry of his deal.
As stated in Derby’s farewell post, Elder made 86 appearances across all competitions during his time with the club, scoring once and assisting five, including 29 league appearances and five assists this season.
At 31, Elder still has some good years ahead of him, and now available on a free, Leicester should look to sanction his return this summer.
The Foxes will be relying on a lot of youngsters next season, and will be requiring some experience in the dressing room to guide them through tricky periods, and Elder could be just that.
With three third-tier promotions under his belt with Wigan, Hull, and Derby, Elder knows exactly what it takes to get out of League One, and his addition could be a hugely savvy one.
Not the flashiest name by any means, Leicester will need players such as the Aussie to help them get out of this mess, and with him already knowing the club well, his addition would be a seamless one, as whoever is appointed should be looking to make Elder their first addition.
Would you like to see Callum Elder back at Leicester City? Who should the Foxes be targeting this summer ahead of a huge transfer window? Share your thoughts below!
This summer is one of the biggest in Leicester City’s history
Whilst the gap between League One and the Premier League is huge, this is still arguably, if not the biggest in Leicester’s history.
The third tier cannot be taken as a joke, and the Foxes simply cannot afford to become complacent.
Failure to secure promotion at the first time of asking will be a disaster for a side playing European football just four years ago and lifting the FA Cup just five years ago.
The addition of Elder would be a crucial one in their hopes of an immediate return to the second tier, as signings such as the thrice-capped Aussie will be imperative to ensure they don’t get stuck in the third tier for years to come.