Leicester City stance on Harry Souttar emerges after Leeds United bid | OneFootball

Highlights

Leicester City preferred to cash in on Harry Souttar rather than loan him out during the January transfer window, according to an update from Football Insider.

Souttar has found his game time at the King Power Stadium limited this term, something that will have come as a surprise to some considering he has thrived at this level before.

Despite the departures of Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu though, the Foxes still had some good options before the summer window, with Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard forming an effective partnership.

It's fair to say that their summer business was a further setback for Souttar though.

Both Conor Coady and Callum Doyle came in, and although the latter has played out on the left at times this term, he can also operate centrally and could be used as a centre-back between now and the end of the season.

If he is, that will only go on to limit Souttar's game time further, with the Australia international making just four appearances in all competitions this term.

Although his game time has also been limited by his participation in the Asia Cup, he probably wouldn't have won much game time anyway during this period, and faces an uphill battle to secure minutes on the pitch now Australia's tournament is over.

The central defender may have welcomed a longer period of time with his international teammates, but South Korea knocked them out.

Leeds United reportedly made a loan-to-buy offer for the centre-back during the latter stages of the window, an understandable move considering the Whites may not have been able to pay too much up front following a busy summer.

However, Leicester would have preferred to cash in on the centre-back and it's believed that they were keen to secure a decent chunk of the reported £15m that they had forked out on him to lure him away from Stoke City.

This, added to the fact Enzo Maresca's side didn't want to strengthen a promotion rival, made a move for Leeds impossible.

Everton and Sheffield United were also thought to be keen on him, but couldn't get a deal over the line.

Leicester City's stance on Harry Souttar is understandable

It's a massive shame that this move hasn't worked out so far.

Souttar had and still has great potential - and he would be a real asset for any side in this division.

However, his lack of playing time means he probably needs to be sold during the summer, unless he can force his way into Maresca's plans.

At the moment, it seems unlikely considering the options that Maresca has at his disposal, so a sale would benefit all parties.