Leicester City’s bright start to the 2023/24 campaign has seen some new stars emerge under the management of Enzo Maresca.
There are some names people half expected to be hits with the Foxes this season. Midfielder Harry Winks has looked a level above while Kieran Dewsbury-Hall has affirmed his position as one of the club’s most important players. Summer signing Stephy Mavididi looks set to be a real handful at this level and academy graduate Kasey McAteer is now Leicester City’s top scorer.
However, no player has surprised the loyal fanbase quite as much as centre-back Jannik Vestergaard.
The towering Danish centre-back signed from Southampton in the summer of 2021 and in his first two seasons, he really struggled to make a positive impact. As a result, he struggled for game time and following promotion, many thought he might be among those destined for a fresh start with a move away.
That fresh start has come in Leicester’s new era though, becoming a real star under Maresca. Now, with his deal up next summer, the club’s attention has to turn to getting him tied down to a new contract.
A key role to play
Vestergaard’s willingness to play out from the back has seen him fit perfectly into the Italian boss’ play style. His physical stature has helped him display his defensive ability as well and as a result, he’s played every minute of Championship football thus far.
Now 31, Vestergaard can emerge as a real leader in this talented squad. He’s taken to the second-tier well and given just how well he operates in Maresca’s setup, there’s no reason why he can’t be viewed as a key asset moving forward. The ultimate aim is to get back to the Premier League and he showed what he can do at that level in his time at Southampton.
While he was unable to make an impact in the top-flight with Leicester City, there’s no reason why he can’t maintain a key role under Maresca in the years to come. Securing a new deal for the Dane should be considered key as the club looks to get back to their previous heights.
