New Wout Faes transfer twist emerges at Leicester City | OneFootball

A new update has emerged involving the immediate future of Leicester City defender Wout Faes

Leicester City are poised to part company with a host of players throughout the summer months after suffering successive relegations from the Premier League to League One, with Russell Martin now tasked with overseeing a new era of rebuilding at the King Power Stadium.

Indeed, up to 16 players will be officially departing the Foxes today at the end of their contracts, which includes the likes of Jordan Ayew, Patson Daka and long-serving full-back Ricardo Pereira.

Separately, Leicester will be expected to sanction no shortage of transfer exits in the coming weeks and months in an effort to recoup funds and offset sharp revenue declines while ensuring that new head coach Martin has a squad willing to play for him in League One and contribute towards a hopeful promotion push.

It would, after all, serve as a significant surprise to see any of Abdul Fatawu, Stephy Mavididi, Oliver Skipp or unpopular midfielder Harry Winks still in Martin's squad by the time that Leicester begin only the second third-tier campaign in the club's history with a trip to East Midlands rivals Notts County on August 15, and further departures are sure to equally anticipated.

Wout Faes, having signed for the Foxes nearly four years ago in a reported £15 million deal from Reims to replace Wesley Fofana after his big-money switch to Chelsea, will also be among those widely tipped for the exit door, but a fresh twist has just emerged involving the Belgian's immediate future.

The 28-year-old returned to Ligue 1 for the second-half of the previous campaign by joining Monaco on loan as Leicester went on to endure a second straight relegation.

Faes, who has been capped on 28 occasions by the Belgian national side but was left out of Rudi Garcia's squad for this summer's World Cup, had struggled for regular game-time with Leicester in the Championship, starting just nine of his 15 outings and being left on the bench for all of the six fixtures across the Festive period which preceded his loan move to Monaco.

It was viewed with an element of surprise when Monaco swooped for the defender's services, and he would feature more routinely at Stade Louis II in the remainder of the 25/26 term. Faes racked up more minutes in the French top-flight than he did for a relegated Championship side, going on to make 14 league appearances as Monaco wound up the campaign in seventh place.

The terms of his loan agreement included an option for Monaco to make his stay with the club a permanent one this summer, although a new twist has emerged on that front.

That's because Monaco, as confirmed with a farewell post to both Faes and Sunderland winger Simon Adringa on Monday, will not be extending Faes' time on the French Rivieria, with the central defender now set to return to Leicester.

Exactly how long Faes will be back in Leicester, however, only remains to be seen.

Wout Faes will surely leave Leicester City after new Monaco transfer twist

The writing still appears very much on the wall when it comes to Faes' future, which is sure to lie away from Leicester as the Foxes prepare for life in the third-tier.

Considering Faes' top-flight and international pedigree, it would come as a huge surprise if he was willing to stick around under Martin next term, whereas he's also sure to score among the club's leading earners, which would necessitate amplified moves for an exit from all parties.

Faes may well have been expecting to extend his stay at Monaco, but with that possibility now off the cards, he's going to have to plot a fresh think over his future and assess any impending options on the table.

Either way, while it's not Monaco where Faes will be headed, a permanent departure would have to feel more-than-likely as Leicester's anticipated rebuilding project begins to take shape.