Behind the Scenes at the King Power: Quiet Surface, Busy Background
Although things may seem quiet at Leicester City—particularly with uncertainty lingering over the managerial situation and Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s future—there’s no shortage of activity going on behind the scenes.
Club officials continue to plan for the upcoming Championship season, working on long-term strategy, transfer targets, and roster reshaping, even if managerial decisions have yet to be finalized.
While fans await bigger headlines, business continues in areas like academy restructuring, player departures, and potential new arrivals.
Academy Midfielder Kaleb Dyke Signs with QPR
While the club’s recently released player list primarily focused on senior and development players, more changes are happening at the under-18 level. One notable departure is Kaleb Dyke, an academy product who is now set to join Queens Park Rangers.
The 18-year-old midfielder, who joined Leicester at the age of seven, played 19 matches for the U18s this past season, notching three goals and two assists. He missed the last five games of the campaign—likely after learning his future would lie elsewhere.
After a trial period, Dyke signed a professional contract with QPR and will link up with their development squad.
“This is exciting,” Dyke told QPR. “It’s a new opportunity, something I can really dig into, something I can just attack and basically try to make my mark. I have really enjoyed my short time here already. It’s been fantastic.”
Grist Secures Quick Move to Boston United
Another departure from Leicester’s development squad, Ben Grist, wasted no time in finding a new club. The 20-year-old centre-back has signed with National League side Boston United.
Grist originally joined City from Grimsby Town’s academy four years ago but made just four appearances for the U21s this season. He spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Worksop Town, where he helped secure promotion via the play-offs.
His solid performances earned him the club’s Young Player of the Year award, paving the way for a move up the pyramid to the fifth tier.
Pre-Season Fixture with OH Leuven on the Horizon
While Leicester have yet to officially announce their pre-season schedule, plans are reportedly coming together. According to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, one of the early friendlies will likely be against OH Leuven—Leicester’s sister club under the King Power ownership group.
Although neither club has confirmed the match, the report suggests it is in the works. It remains to be seen whether a first-team squad will be fielded or if fans will be able to attend.
In the past, meetings between the two clubs have varied:
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In 2022, they played in front of fans at Leuven’s Den Dreef Stadium
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Two summers ago, they faced off behind closed doors at Seagrave
Leicester Rank 9th for Minutes Given to Academy Products
Despite a tough campaign, one bright spot for Leicester has been the emergence of homegrown talent. Players like Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League debutant, and Jake Evans have brought fresh energy to the squad.
According to Press Association research, Leicester ranked ninth in the Premier League for total minutes given to academy graduates—recording 2,526 minutes in total.
Notably, this figure doesn’t include goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, who joined the club at 16 and played 900 minutes. Even with his minutes included, the club would have stayed in ninth, just 54 minutes behind Southampton.
The biggest contributors were Luke Thomas and Kasey McAteer, who each played over 1,000 minutes as they became regulars during the latter stages of the season.
At the top of the chart was Liverpool, thanks to academy stars like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones, who helped the Reds accumulate a massive 6,922 minutes. At the other end of the spectrum, Wolves handed zero minutes to their youth players.
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