Christian Fuchs: Why would Leicester stars give up Champions League football?

08 May 2016 22:23

Christian Fuchs has questioned why any of Leicester's stars would want to quit the new champions.

The Foxes were presented with the Barclays Premier League trophy on Saturday after a 3-1 win over Everton, having already wrapped up the title last Monday when Tottenham were held to a 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

Professional Footballers' Association player of the year Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante and Kasper Schmeichel have all been linked with moves after outstanding seasons.

When asked on Saturday whether he would stay, Mahrez briefly replied "yeah" before quickly leaving to join the celebrations.

Left-back Fuchs feels the key players must stay, and believes they will.

"We're playing Champions League football next season," the 30-year-old Austrian said. "Leicester City are playing Champions League football. Isn't that a good enough reason to stay at this club?

"I think all the lads know what this team is all about. So why not stay? I believe that.

"Bringing in other players is not in my hands but it's going to be a tough challenge and I think everybody should simply look forward to it. I played in (the Champions League) for three years (with former club Schalke) and I'm happy to be back."

Fellow defender Danny Simpson agreed, adding: " I want everyone to stay because it is a special group. Hopefully they stay and we can kick on because we are going places.

"I've played in a lot of teams now and that is not easy to get. Hopefully everyone wants to keep going and grow as a group and as a club. I think if we can stay together we are going places.

"We all have a bit of banter (about transfer speculation) but at the end of the day we have had a job to do and been concentrating on the games. Whatever the lads decide to do is up to them. We just hope we can keep this group together because for me it has so much potential to do even more things than what we have."

Ritchie de Laet, who had been on loan at Middlesbrough since February, rushed down from the north-east after helping Boro earn promotion from the Sky Bet Championship just hours before Leicester lifted the title.

"The lads saw me at half-time and said congratulations on the achievement for Middlesbrough but for them it is party time now," he said.

Source: PA