Zambian striker Patson Daka has yet to appear in a competitive match for Leicester City this season. He was left out of the Championship matchday squad that defeated Huddersfield 0-1 on Saturday.
Daka was an unused substitute in their league games against Burton Albion and Coventry City before being left out of the team yesterday along with Timothy Castagne, Harry Souttar, Victor Kristiansen, and Boubakary Soumar.
Their absence from the squad increased the already-existing transfer rumours. However, Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca, who named two goalkeepers to his bench, stated that while transfer speculation was a factor, it was not the only reason he dropped the five players.
“The players that were not in the squad today, it was because of a technical decision for some of them, and for some of them, I thought it was better for them to stay home. But that doesn’t mean that in the next game, they won’t be involved. It was just for today,” Maresca was quoted as saying by Leicestershirelive.
“Because it’s my decision,” he stated, explaining why he thought it was preferable for players to stay at home. “This is because I made the decision.”
“You are thinking about the market. I know, it is a normal thing. It’s not for that, I promise. Probably for some of them, there is some noise, and that probably could be one of the reasons why I decided to leave them at home, but it’s not the only reason.”
What’s next for Patson Daka at Leicester City ?
Since their relegation from the Premier League last season, some of the Foxes’ starters have left to join top-flight clubs.
Daka, who has three years left on his contract with Leicester, has been linked to two clubs, AS Roma and Everton, and his absence from the team on Saturday fueled the transfer rumours.
However, it is increasingly reported that Everton are interested in the 24-year-old Zambian.
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He joined Leicester City from Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored 68 goals in 125 games.
The Chipolopolo star made his competitive debut for the Foxes on August 7, 2021, from the bench against Manchester City to lift the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium.
His first Premier League goal arrived on October 16 in Leicester’s 4-2 win over Manchester United at King Power Stadium.
Daka also became the first Foxes player since 1958 to score four goals in a single fixture. He netted all four goals in a 4-3 comeback victory over Spartak Moscow in the UEFA Europa League.
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In the following year, he took his tally to 11 in his first season in Leicester.
Last season, Daka scored four goals in the Premier League. He now has a total of 15 goals in 74 appearances for the Foxes.
