Forgotten Leicester City player with just two league starts is now suddenly important to Ruud van Nistelrooy
Forgotten Leicester City player with just two league starts is now suddenly important to Ruud van Nistelrooy
Leicester City had a nightmare winter transfer window, which will now force Ruud van Nistelrooy to call upon a fringe player.
Ruud van Nistelrooy wanted four players signed when he took over as Leicester City manager in late November.
Woyo Coulibably was the first name through the door and more were expected to follow before the deadline on February 3rd.
However, Leicester’s January transfer window was a disaster and the right-back was the only player to arrive at the King Power Stadium.
It leaves Van Nistelrooy with the mammoth task of avoiding relegation from the Premier League with a squad that, frankly, just isn’t good enough.
The failed winter window also means the Dutchman will have to start relying on players who were previously hardly getting a look-in.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will have to start playing Luke Thomas
Defence was the main area of concern for the Foxes heading into January but as only one full-back was signed, Ruud is going to have to try and get the best out of his previous options.
That means we are likely to see a lot more of Luke Thomas in the coming months as the manager is forced to rotate his starting line-up.
Hoffenheim were interested in Thomas during the 2025 winter window but he could not be sold due to a lack of additions.
Van Nistelrooy commented on the Leicester left-back late last week, confirming he wouldn’t be leaving.
He said: “Not when there’s no players in.”
In an ideal scenario, the defender would have been moved on and a better replacement brought in, but owing to their club’s failure in the market, Thomas will now have to act as back-up to Victor Kristiansen for the rest of 2024/25.
How Luke Thomas has fared for Leicester City this season
Even when Leicester were in the Championship last season, the 23-year-old was somewhat surpluses to requirements.
He spent the second half of 2023/24 on loan at Middlesbrough, where he failed to impress.
Since returning to the Midlands, he has only played two Premier League matches this term.
He started in the harrowing 4-1 defeat to Brentford just before Van Nistelrooy’s first game as manager.
Thomas’ last appearance came when he completed 90 minutes as Leicester lost 2-1 to Aston Villa.
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