Russell Martin already has Jeremy Monga 2.0 at Leicester City | OneFootball

Will Alves could finally be afforded a major breakthrough at the King Power Stadium

For Leicester City, their latest rebuilding job in the EFL starts in a matter of days following confirmation of Russell Martin's appointment at the King Power Stadium.

As has been well-documented, the Foxes' fall from grace, which saw them become the second club in as many seasons to endure the unwanted fate of back-to-back relegations from the Premier League down to League One, has occurred alongside several backdrops of uncertainty.

Leicester's problems at board level saw them hit with a six-point deduction in February, shortly after Gary Rowett replaced Marti Cifuentes in the East Midlands on a short-term contract, with such a punishment playing a huge factor in their shocking relegation from the Championship.

Indeed, City are said to have boasted the second tier's highest wage bill over the course of the past year, but that, in no way, has been reflected by the performances of those on the pitch as individuals, or as a team, perhaps aside from the 11 contributions from the Championship's Young Player of the Season and Stade Rennais loanee, Jordan James.

Martin's appointment has gathered mixed reactions in itself, with the former Southampton and Rangers boss penning a three-year deal, also being made aware about what problems he must resolve as soon as possible.

The biggest, naturally, will be reshaping the current squad into one which very much fits with the 'aggressive', front-footed philosophy he has already outlined to supporters.

Several names have, unsurprisingly, been the subject of intense exit talk, including Jeremy Monga, but within Martin's ranks already lies a potentially ready-made replacement for the 16-year-old prodigy.

Jeremy Monga looks braced for Leicester City exit after first-team breakthrough

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Monga has already made plenty of history at such a young age, having initially joined Leicester's academy setup at just nine years old following a previous period at his hometown club and M69 rivals, Coventry City.

The winger had already become the youngest-ever goalscorer in the history of Premier League 2 almost two years ago against Aston Villa, and such form alerted then City boss, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, following his move to the club in place of Steve Cooper.

After making his debut in a 3-0 against Newcastle United last April at the age of just 15 years and 271 days old, the England youth international received plenty of plaudits from the Dutchman, and was, unsurprisingly, tipped for a breakthrough season in the Championship after signing further scholarship terms.

Monga still isn't eligible to sign professional terms with any club until his 17th birthday on July 10th, which has posed a real exit threat for some time, with several top sides looking to secure his signature whilst Leicester look to balance their financial books ahead of a critical season.

As such, it has been widely reported that Premier League champions, Arsenal, are in the driving seat amid interest from Brentford, and that Mikel Arteta's side could agree a £10m move for the winger.

Monga became the Championship's youngest-ever scorer in a 2-1 loss at Preston North End 10 months ago, and went on to record two further assists in 27 league appearances - of which only eight came from the starting lineup.

Will Alves could easily replace Jeremy Monga at Leicester City under Russell Martin

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Throughout his managerial career thus far, Martin has, at times, been successful in aiding the development of homegrown prospects, including Tyler Dibling, who was later sold by Southampton to Everton for £42m.

Therefore, even though Monga looks set to leave the club, this could firmly open the door for Will Alves, who has only made six appearances at first-team level for the Foxes so far.

The bulk of the attacking midfielder's senior outings have come in loan spells at Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town, with the latter of those also coming in League One.

Offering strong versatility, Alves' temporary stint in West Yorkshire got off to the perfect start with a debut goal in a 3-2 win over Peterborough United last September, before another cruel injury - this time to the foot - ruled him out for several months.

As a result, neither Lee Grant nor Liam Manning got to see a fully confident and impactful version of the England Under-20s international in an underwhelming campaign for the pre-season promotion favourites.

Alves' current contract at the King Power was signed in August 2024 on a four-year deal, after which he stated: "I have been watching and being a Leicester fan and having this opportunity, it’s unbelievable."