Leicester City Face Another Major Issue Alongside Steve Cooper Uncertainty – The Numbers Don’t Lie
Doubts Grow Over Steve Cooper’s Future at Leicester City
After Enzo Maresca departed Leicester City for Chelsea earlier this year, Steve Cooper was appointed as the new manager at the King Power Stadium.
The 46-year-old brought previous Premier League experience from his tenure with Nottingham Forest, but his time with Leicester has been anything but smooth.
Currently, the team finds itself in a precarious position, sitting just three points above the relegation zone.
According to Opta, Leicester has a 46.9% chance of relegation, highlighting their struggles ahead of an upcoming clash with Chelsea.
Due to the poor results, Cooper has been given a deadline by the club to turn things around. The former Nottingham Forest boss has until the end of the calendar year to prove his worth.
While the board seems inclined to back him for now, the fanbase has grown increasingly critical of his performance.
Speculation about Cooper’s replacement has already begun, with Ruud van Nistelrooy emerging as a potential candidate following his exit from Manchester United.
Meanwhile, a new issue has surfaced that could further trouble Leicester’s future: the lack of opportunities given to academy players.
A recent report by The Athletic revealed that Leicester ranks 16th in the Premier League for minutes allocated to club-trained academy players this season, with a mere 0.4% of game time going to homegrown talent.
Only Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham, and West Ham United have provided fewer opportunities, each recording 0%.
This lack of youth integration has cast doubt on Leicester’s commitment to developing young talent.
Promising prospects like Will Alves and Louis Page have yet to make significant first-team breakthroughs.
Alves, considered one of Leicester’s brightest academy products, has only managed 36 senior minutes across two League Cup matches this season.
Similarly, 16-year-old Page, named by The Guardian as one of the Premier League’s top 20 emerging talents, has yet to feature in senior competition.
Without a clear pathway to the first team, young players like Alves and Page may begin to question their futures at the club.
Leicester’s reluctance to utilize academy talent could hinder their long-term development, creating further challenges for the team amid their ongoing struggles.
