Football Season Guide

Leicester City clinched the Championship title along with automatic promotion after a strong season at both ends of the pitch under coach Enzo Maresca. They boasted the second-best attack, having netted an impressive 89 goals. Defensively, the Foxes were the best performing team in the league, conceding just 41 goals in 46 games. Yet, Maresca departed in the summer to join Chelsea and Leicester appointed Steve Cooper, who parted ways with Nottingham Forest last season. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is the only first-choice player to have departed the team for the time being, with Facundo Buonanotte and Michael Golding to beef up the midfield. Meanwhile, centre-back Caleb Okoli has been brought in to sure up the defence and the experienced Bobby De Cordova-Reid has arrived on a free transfer. Yet, Cooper could do with some more attacking signings after the departure of Kelechi Iheanacho. Meanwhile, Maresca is arguably a more progressive minded coach than Cooper, whose pragmatism is not without its merits, however, as he certainly delivered for Forest by reaching the Premier League and continued to be idolised by their home support despite some disappointing spells. Although the level in the Premier League is certainly higher than the Championship, Leicester’s defence demonstrated last season that they may have what it takes to face world-class forwards. Yet, losing the coach who led them to the Premier League is a major blow for Leicester. It remains to be seen how quickly Cooper will manage to instil his philosophy into the team.