Leicester City star signs new contract

Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury has extended his stay with the Foxes until June 2027, following his impressive start to the season, a statement on the club’s website has confirmed.

The 25-year-old is a product of the Foxes academy and has decided to extend his stay at the club, leaving manager Enzo Maresca delighted as the midfielder’s contract expires this summer before when there is an announcement from Today.

The midfielder has made seven appearances for the Foxes this season, following a loan spell with Watford in the Championship last season.

Choudhury managed one hit but made his first start of the season against Norwich City, where he also led the team to a 2–0 win. He also started both of the club’s EFL Cup matches, ahead of tonight’s match against Liverpool. Despite the club’s narrow defeat to Hull City, the Foxes are yet to drop points in any other match this season, winning seven of eight and finishing top of the Championship table.

In all competitions this season, Leicester have kept clean sheets in 5/10 matches this season, with the midfielder playing a key role in 3 of those matches.

What’s been said?

Upon signing a new contract, the 25-year-old stated…

“It’s an amazing feeling for me and my family. This is my home. I’ve obviously spent the majority of my life here around the same people in the same environment.

“I’m looking forward to cracking on now and hopefully helping the team get back to the Premier League. It’s my home. To be staying here for another four years is exactly what I want.”

Writer’s View

Choudhury is one of the few players in the current Leicester City side who knows the club inside out and knows exactly what the club’s supporters expect from the team on a weekly basis.

The midfielder is a strong presence in Maresca’s side and despite being just 25, he has almost 100 senior appearances for the club and can use his experience to help several of the younger players in the squad and I think this is a great piece of business.

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Paul Gorst: Changes, Pep Lijnders says, are “a given” tonight but I still think it will be a strong enough team to make the travelling Leicester City wince when the team news drops.

Such are the options at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal now that he will generally be able to field sides full of quality throughout at every stage of the cup competitions this term.

Caoimhin Kelleher – a “world-class” deputy, according to Lijnders – starts in goal behind a back four of Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson.

In midfield, Wataru Endo can anchor the engine room with Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch ahead of the Japan captain with the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister waiting in the wings.

Up top, Ben Doak starts off the right with Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo completing the front three. Mo Salah might find he has the night off while Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz can be kept in reserve.

Theo Squires: With Jurgen Klopp making 11 changes for last week’s Europa League victory over LASK Linz, I’d expect wholesale changes again when Liverpool kick start their League Cup campaign against Leicester City.

Caoimhin Kelleher comes back in to start in goal, with Stefan Bajcetic again trialled as an inverted right-back. Kostas Tsimikas comes in at left-back, with Ibrahima Konate starting at centre-back alongside youngster Jarell Quansah.

The midfield that started last week in Austria all get the nod again, with Wataru Endo sitting deeper and Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch both utilised as number eights.

Meanwhile, Ben Doak gets another start in attack on the right, with Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota both coming back into the starting XI after being used as substitutes in the weekend victory over West Ham.

My team (4-3-3): Kelleher; Bajcetic, Konate, Quansah, Tsimikas; Elliott, Endo, Gravenberch; Doak, Gakpo, Jota.

Sean Bradbury: While it is tempting to keep up the momentum of some in-form players, Spurs is a massive game at the weekend.

Which means that the very capable ‘second string’ are backed to tackle Leicester City at Anfield this evening.

Caoimhin Kelleher gets the nod in goal. Ahead of him is a back four of Stefan Bajcetic (toying with the hybrid role again), Joel Matip, Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas.

The midfield that started against LASK goes again with the hope of a bit more cohesion from the outset here.

In attack, Ben Doak and Diogo Jota are on the flanks with Cody Gakpo leading the line. Resting Darwin Nunez is a tricky decision as he is on such a role…but it makes sense tonight. He can come on if needed.

Brendan McGilligan: Jurgen Klopp will have one eye on the Tottenham Hotspur game on Saturday evening when selecting his team for the League Cup fixture against Leicester City.

The German may select a similar side to the one that lined up against LASK in the Europa League as they prepare to face the Championship leaders.

Caoimhin Kelleher will return between the sticks as he continues his role as cup goalkeeper for the Reds. The defence will likely see Stefan Bajcetic play at the right of a back four, as Trent Alexander-Arnold remains on the sidelines through injury and to give Joe Gomez a rest.

The centre-back pairing could use Joel Matip for his experience to help continue the impressive start Jarell Quansah has made to his Liverpool career, and Konstantinos Tsimikas should slot in at left-back.