NINE LEICESTER STARS EXPOSE CATASTROPHIC TRANSFER MELTDOWN! IF PROMOTION CRUMBLES, THIS BOMBSHELL WILL TRIGGER TOTAL SQUAD EXODUS – FANS IN ABSOLUTE PANIC!
Leicester City’s lack of squad renewal could become a major point of criticism if their promotion bid falls short.
There’s a long-standing theory in football, attributed to Benfica’s legendary coach Bela Guttmann, that a manager’s effective cycle lasts around three years.
Beyond that, ideas tend to lose their impact, and players often require new voices and motivations.
While many greats — like Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, and Jürgen Klopp — have thrived well beyond that timeframe, they succeeded largely because they constantly refreshed their squads to maintain energy and competitiveness.
Ferguson’s Manchester United evolved regularly after each triumph, ensuring the players’ hunger remained intact.
Brendan Rodgers made a similar argument during his Leicester City tenure, believing the squad needed renewal after three years to sustain success.
However, that evolution never happened, and in his fourth full season, the club’s decline was dramatic, culminating in relegation.
Rodgers shared responsibility, but statistics underlined the problem: 18 of Leicester’s 27 Premier League players that season were in their fourth year or beyond at the club.
The lack of significant recruitment or academy integration left the team stagnant and predictable.
Now, under Marti Cifuentes, Leicester find themselves in a similar position. Nine members of the current first-team squad are in at least their fourth season — more than any other Championship side.
The division’s average is fewer than five, while some clubs, like Birmingham City, have none. Unsurprisingly, supporters view this as evidence that the squad has gone stale and is in need of rejuvenation.
Yet, the link between squad freshness and success is not straightforward.
Bristol City and Preston North End also have nine long-serving players and both sit above Leicester in the Championship table.
When Leicester last won promotion, they too had nine players beyond the three-year mark — including stalwarts like Jamie Vardy, Ricardo Pereira, and Wilfred Ndidi — whose experience was invaluable.
Loyal, long-serving players also help maintain a bond between fans and the team. The key lies in context. Bristol City’s steady improvement in recent seasons justifies retaining a consistent core.
Leicester’s recent history, however, features two relegations, and several long-term players — such as Ricardo, Choudhury, Faes, and Daka — are now seen as symbols of decline.
If promotion eludes Leicester this year, the failure to refresh the squad will likely be cited as a major cause. But if they succeed, few will credit the continuity.
Ultimately, given the turbulence of recent seasons, greater change might have been better for both performance and morale — though whether that proves true remains to be seen.
