Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans has bid farewell to Leicester City fans via social media after the club’s relegation from the top flight.
Tielemans joined the Foxes from French side AS Monaco in 2019 and slotted into the midfield seamlessly. In that time, he has won the FA Cup and the Community Shield, while playing through several good and bad stages with the club until their eventual relegation at the end of the 2022/23 season.
His contract with the club runs out in June and after rejecting their efforts to sign him to a new contract, he will be leaving the club as a free agent.
The 26-year-old midfielder wasted no time in letting the club’s fans know, giving them another thing to be disappointed about after their relegation, six years removed from their historic Premier League title win.
In a touching video posted on his social media, Tielemans wrote: “Dear Leicester City fans, after 4.5 special years and with a lot of gratitude I’m bidding farewell to this incredible club.
“From the first day I set foot on this ground, your warmth and passion embraced me.
“Victory and triumph, love, hope and even defeat. We’ve shared many special moments together. I am forever grateful for your unwavering support.
“Thank you to Khun Top, the board, the staff, the players and fans for having given me and my family a home.
“This is not a goodbye, but a heartfelt farewell.”
There are no shortages of destinations for the former RSC Anderlecht teenage sensation and his availability as a free agent will see him have the pick of the bunch.
In the Premier League, Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked to the player. Outside the Premier League, Tielemans is drawing interest from Italy, Spain and Germany. His exit is going to be one of many from the club as they look to reduce their wage cap to cushion the effects of the hit they will take as a relegated side.
It has already hit the news that James Maddison and Harvey Barnes are two of the choicest names on other clubs’ transfer lists. Defender Çağlar Söyüncü, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and a few others have also been touted as potential exits.
Tielemans, however, is the only one who the club will lose for free this season, with the rest of the potential exits all having contracts that have one or more years to go.
The Foxes could make as much as £150 million in total from transfers and save around the same amount 8j wages, giving them enough to work with in the EFL Championship.
