Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that centre-back Wesley Fofana was left out of Saturday’s squad to face Southampton because of the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Fofana is a priority target for Chelsea as they look to bolster their backline, but the Foxes have already rejected two bids – the latest of which was worth £70m – and are prepared to stick to their price tag of over £80m.
Before the game, Rodgers admitted Fofana had been dropped because he was not in the right frame of mind to help the team, and he doubled down on that stance after the game.
“[He’s] just not of the right mind to contribute to the team,” he told BBC Radio Leicester of the defender’s omission. “It’s been a really difficult period for him, 21 years of age, there’s lots going on behind the scenes which meant he wasn’t ready to play.”
Asked whether Fofana asked to be dropped or whether Rodgers had made the decision, the boss replied: “It’s both. It was on the back of an open conversation.”
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One thing Rodgers was certain of was that Leicester have not yet received a third bid from Chelsea for the defender.
“No, nothing I’m aware of,” he said when asked about offers.
Chelsea continue to negotiate with Leicester over Fofana’s services and 90min understands that Trevoh Chalobah’s name has been mentioned as a potential makeweight, likely on a loan deal.
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