Ghana defender Daniel Amartey believes his club Leicester City can defend the English Premier League title they won last season.
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The Foxes overcame 5,000-1 odds to memorably win the title last season as the traditional big teams all faltered.
An old rival of Guardiola from their time in Spain, Mourinho had made no secret of his desire to be Alex Ferguson’s long-term successor at Old Trafford and will surely be out to prove a point after being sacked by Chelsea last season a few months after leading them to the title.
“It’s easier for ET to come to Piccadilly Circus”, he said”.
With the exception of N’Golo Kante’s sale to Chelsea, Leicester has kept the bulk of last season’s squad together, while adding the dynamic Ahmed Musa and Bartosz Kapustka.
With Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Manchester threatens to become the center of the footballing universe during the new Premier League season.
“I think the bookies have to pay 6,000/1 now”, he said.
However, a lot has happened in terms of managerial changes and player transfers since Leicester’s historic title win.
The transfer window is still open until the end of August but already we’ve seen an unprecedented level of business.
When questioned about his excitement towards being Premier League champions, he said “I was excited” and went on to say that he’s no longer excited but focused on the upcoming season. The big teams will be back, I am sure. But everything else just seemed to come together for a club that was almost relegated to the Football League Championship a year previously following a poor performance in the EPL. Kante will be a huge loss and it is now crucial that they keep Riyad Mahrez from Arsenal’s clutches, as they did with Jamie Vardy.
Ranieri has a fully fit squad ahead of the trip to the KC Stadium and reiterated his belief that last season’s PFA player of the year Riyad Mahrez is available for selection and will stay with the Foxes despite being continually linked with a move to Arsenal.
He would say that, of course – privately the likeable Italian will surely be setting his sights higher than that and will be also hoping to shock Europe in the same way Leicester surprised England when they embark on their Champions League campaign. Claudio Ranieri has no injury worries, however Robert Huth will miss the game through suspension, so new signing Luis Hernandez is expected to fill the void at the back alongside Wes Morgan. “You don’t understand? Let’s play 10 matches then you see”. I can’t pass the ball from the bench’.
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“The speculation is normal, he is a big player and he needs to feel there are other teams and managers who want him”.
