Welcome to Wednesday's Leicester City blog from Leicestershire Live.
Claude Puel’s men return to Premier League action this weekend, and they head to the capital to Selhurst Park and a game against struggling Crystal Palace.
We’ll start building towards that game, and we’ll cast an eye around the rest of the top flight as we see what the Foxes' rivals are up to with the transfer window looming large on the horizon.
We shall keep you abreast of any transfer movements that happen today, both Foxes related and any further afield in the football world with plenty of chat surrounding the Foxes and their manager.
As always, you can get involved in today’s City coverage by tweeting @LiveLCFC or by joining us on Facebook right here .
Newport striker excited by tie
Newport striker Padraig Amond is looking forward to facing Leicester in the FA Cup third round.
The Leicester match is something to look forward to. “The fans will come out in force and I’m sure it will be a sell-out.
They’ve got unbelievable players and I think Leicester City is a club that everyone has taken to their hearts, not just because of what happened recently with the chairman passing, but before that as well with the romance of them winning the league.“That was fantastic for football and it’s a feat that won’t ever be topped, in my opinion.
It’s a fantastic club to play and it’s exciting times for the club
Bolton woes
Bolton chairman Ken Anderson will personally fund the outstanding wages owed to the club’s players and coaching staff.
The Sky Bet Championship club had reached an agreement with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) to pay November’s salaries, but have announced this is no longer the “preferred route”.
Bolton have confirmed the wages will be paid by majority stakeholder Anderson into the players’ and coaches’ respective bank accounts on Friday.
“Bolton Wanderers Football Club can confirm that all outstanding salaries for its coaching and playing staff will be paid into their respective accounts on Friday morning,” read a club statement.
“The delay in payment had been caused after an option with the PFA was explored. Although that option does remain in place at this moment in time, it is not the club’s preferred route.
“Instead, Bolton Wanderers’ owner and chairman Ken Anderson will personally fund the outstanding salaries.”
Okazaki left out of Japan squad
Leicester City forward Shinji Okazaki has been left out of the Japan squad for the upcoming Asian Cup.
The tournament is due to be played in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1, and has been expanded to include 24 teams.
Okazaki is Japan’s third highest scorer, but hasn’t netted a single goal for club or country in a year, with his last being a brace for City in a 4-1 win over Southampton last December.
Vardy among the worst in the PL for getting caught offside
Jamie Vardy has one of the Premier League’s worst records when it comes to getting caught offside this season.
Sir Alex Ferguson once quipped of Pippo Inzaghi: “that lad must have been born offside.”
In that sense, Vardy appears to have channelled the Juventus and Milan legend.
The Foxes striker has been pulled up for offside 14 times in the league so far this season, according to figures from whoscored.com .
Extra-time penalty earns Leicester City victory in FA Youth Cup
Leicester City Under-18s progressed to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, after they beat Fulham 2-1 on penalties on Tuesday night.
After a goalless first half at the King Power Stadium, Will Russ netted a header for the Young Foxes midway through the second half.
However, the visitors drew level through a penalty just after the hour mark which Matt O’Riley converted.
The match remained all square at the final whistle, as the third round tie went into extra time at the King Power.
Puel on when he will hold talks with out of contract players
Claude Puel says Leicester City will not discuss the futures of the players who are out of contract next summer until after the festive fixture congestion.
Shinji Okazaki, Wes Morgan, Danny Simpson and Christian Fuchs are all out of contract in June and Fuchs has already said he will be leaving City .
Simpson is also expected to move on, but Puel will not say whether Morgan or Okazaki will be offered new deals, with time running out before they can sign pre-contract agreements with other clubs.
Morgan, who has played more games this season than he possibly thought, missing just three through suspension, is likely to assess his future later in the season, while Okazaki is believed to be weighing up a possible move to Italy or Spain, although Puel remains happy with his contribution.
Leicester City plot the future of Callum Elder
Leicester City want defender Callum Elder to join a Championship club on loan in January, to gain more first-team experience.
The 23-year-old Australian is highly-rated at City and has recently signed a new contract to keep him at the club until 2020.
Leicester would now like him to go out on loan to prepare him for next season as they plan ahead for life without Christian Fuchs, who is leaving the club when his contract expires after four years at King Power Stadium.
Andy King set to lead a number of Leicester City departures in January
Leicester City are helping club stalwart Andy King find a new club.
The Wales international, who has been with City since joining the academy aged 15, wants to move away from the club after his career stalled under manager Claude Puel.
The 30-year-old has not featured for City this season and spent the second half of last season on loan at Swansea City.
He had hoped to make his move to the Liberty Stadium permanent but their relegation to the Championship made the move impossible, but he still wants to move on and City have been trying to find him a new club, with West Bromwich Albion expressing their interest.
King still has a year to go on his contract and City will not cancel his deal, but they are open to move him on because of what he has achieved with Leicester and the esteem in which he is held within the club.
City's FA Cup third round opponents confirmed
Leicester City will play Newport County in the third round of the FA Cup.
In all Welsh affair, the League Two side beat Wrexham 4-0 in their second round replay at Rodney Parade on Tuesday evening.
The original tie ended goalless at the Racecourse Ground earlier this month, which forced the replay with the winner due to play City next month.
Euro qualification looks tough for City - unless they win a cup
Claude Puel admits European qualification may be beyond his Leicester City side this season, unless they can win a cup competition.
The target for Puel’s young City side at the start of the season was European qualification but after all six of their defeats came against sides in the top eight, that target looks tough, and Puel admits it may be premature to talk about Europe.
