Foxes spread festive cheer at care homepublished at 15:56 8 December
15:56 8 December
Media caption,
BBC East Midlands Today joined Leicester City players as they took a break from their hectic football schedule to make a festive visit to a local care home
Kasey McAteer and his team-mates Danny Ward and Harry Souttar spent time with residents in the lead up to their Championship game against Plymouth.
Joining the players was Leicester City legend and club ambassador Alan 'The Birch' Birchenall, who had a surreal reunion with former Sheffield United team-mate Gerry Summers.
'We have time for the new contracts'published at 15:29 8 December
15:29 8 December
Image source, Getty Images
Leicester manager Enzo Maresca has said now is not the time to hold contract talks with players and that his only focus is on what happens on the pitch.
Eight first-team players are out of contract next summer, with current deals for Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Jamie Vardy, Dennis Praet, Jannik Vestergaard, Marc Albrighton, Alex Smithies and Wanya Marcal all running until 30 June.
On whether talks have begun, Maresca said: "Not yet. I want all of them focused on this season and our target. Then we will see in February and March where we are at and take a decision.
"In this moment, the most important thing is to be focused, to continue in the way we are doing and this is the only thing I am worried about today. We have time for the new contracts.
Earlier on Friday, the club announced that 19-year-old centre-back Ben Nelson had signed a new contract running until the summer of 2027.
Nelson made his senior Foxes debut in the Carabao Cup win at Tranmere Rovers in August and has previously had loan spells with Doncaster Rovers and Rochdale.
"Ben is a very good profile," Maresca said. "He’s from the academy, he’s still very young but he is improving and we are happy to continue with him. With young players we need to give them the right time. I think for the club and for the fans it’s something we need to be proud of."
🎧 Spreading the Christmas cheerpublished at 17:24 7 December
17:24 7 December
On the latest episode of When You're Smiling, host Jack Rafferty is joined by former Leicester midfielder Dean Hammond and Foxes fan Jamie Thorpe to preview the weekend's game against Plymouth and the busy Christmas schedule
They also hear from full-back James Justin on the club's visit to the Children's Ward at the LRI hospital, where the players met patients and their families and gave out Christmas presents.
