Why Leicester City’s Russell Martin could soon hate Southampton – it involves Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Russell Martin could come to hate former employers Southampton if they snatch Foxes target Justin Devenny.

With Leicester City preparing for life in League One, the Foxes are expected to be very busy on the transfer front.

As comes with a shock relegation from the Championship, many first-team players are set to walk away from the King Power Stadium and take on new challenges.

The East Midlands outfit have already waved goodbye to 11 senior players at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign, with Ricardo Pereira, Patson Daka, Jordan Ayew, Jamaal Lascelles and academy graduate Wanya Marçal all departing on the expiration of their contracts, while Bilal El Khannouss completed permanent move to VfB Stuttgart at the end of May.

In addition, the loan spells of Jordan James, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Aribo, Dujuan Richards and Divine Mukasa have all ended too, and will see the players return to their parent clubs.

After losing so many figures, the Foxes will be keen on getting players into the building as quickly as possible to settle in and get used to Martin’s methods, with a focus needed on adding quality to sustain a promotion push.

And one of Martin’s first arrivals to the King Power Stadium could be Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny, with the Foxes believed to be eyeing up a move for the talented 22-year-old.

But there could well be interest from one of Martin’s former employers in Southampton, and Martin could grow to hate the Saints if they snatch one of their top targets away this summer.

Southampton to rival Leicester City for Justin Devenny signature

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Leicester City will have their sights set on returning to the Championship at the first time of asking, and one way of almost guaranteeing this will be to recruit players who are far too good for League One, but believe in the long-term project for the Foxes.

A player that would certainly fit into that category is Justin Devenny, who has already been a regular in the Premier League for Crystal Palace, albeit being mostly from the substitutes bench.

Nevertheless, the Northern Ireland international featured 21 times at Selhurst Park last season in the top-flight, so it would be viewed as a major coup for the Foxes to secure his services.

The interest from Leicester is very much there this summer, with journalist Alan Nixon reporting at the end of June that the Foxes have made Devenny one of their top targets this summer.

But a more recent report from Nixon has emerged, detailing that Championship outfit, and Russell Martin’s former employers, Southampton, are also in the race for him, which could scupper Leicester’s attempts to land the attacking midfielder.

Of course, a move to the second tier right away would be a lot more appealing for Devenny to take on, with Leicester now being tasked with doing all they can to convince him that the King Power Stadium is a place for him to pledge his long-term future towards.

Russell Martin could come to despise Southampton over Justin Devenny saga

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There’s no doubt that signing someone of the quality Justin Devenny has while in League One would be a gamechanger to the Foxes’ promotion hopes, so the fact Southampton have now entered the race will be a big blow for the East Midlands outfit to come to terms with.

The fact Devenny is already playing a squad role in the Premier League suggests that he would be ready for a regular starting role at Championship level, so for Leicester to attract him to play football in the third tier would be a massive statement of intent that they don’t plan to hang around in the third tier for too long.

But now with Southampton’s interest, you do feel Leicester are up against it to lure Devenny to the King Power Stadium, particularly when Southampton are likely to be promotion candidates yet again in the second tier, offering Devenny a quick gateway back into Premier League football, should he elect to leave South East London.

If Southampton do manage to come out on top in this race, then Russell Martin is bound to feel a new sense of hostility towards his former club, with the Saints denying the Foxes a player who is far too good for League One and that could have easily got Leicester positioned either towards or at the summit of the third tier standings.

While the battle isn’t over yet, you’d make Southampton the favourites to land Devenny, which will be desperately painful for Leicester fans to hear given he would be such a huge capture in League One.