Soccer: Muzzy fuzzy over Leicester future

Leicester manager Dave Bassett is to hold talks with unsettled midfielder Muzzy Izzet believed to be a target for Aston Villa and Leeds United over his future in the next 24 hours.

But the Foxes chief admits he is not over-confident of hanging onto the Turkish international and is ‘‘half thinking’’ that he will slap in a transfer request.

Izzet, the club’s prized asset at a value of around £10million, has already publicly admitted via his agent Jonathan Barnett that he is ‘‘unhappy’’ with life at Filbert Street after nearly six seasons.

Villa remain the favourites to land the former Chelsea reserve player with manager John Gregory having pinpointed the midfield area as the part of the team he would most like to strengthen.

And if he does leave City then it will give Bassett the funds he needs to move into the transfer market whereas at present he is restricted to only making loan signings.

Bassett, who insisted no concrete bids had been received for Izzet, said: ‘‘I am going to discuss the situation with the player and his agent in the next 24 hours and see how unhappy he is.

‘‘I suppose with his agent also coming along, and with the noises he has made, you are sort of half thinking Muzzy is going to ask for a transfer.

‘‘If you are a gambling man, I’d think you possibly go with the line that he is going to ask for a move.

‘‘I would love Muzzy to stay but if he wants to go I’ve always found it’s best to let him get on with his life and you get on with yours and the other players.

‘‘This has got to be concluded quickly. He is either battling his nuts off for Leicester City to get them out of relegation trouble or he is going. There is no point in messing about.

‘‘What I don’t want is Muzzy saying he’s going to stay and then three weeks down the line he then says he wants a move. That’s unsettling for the team.

‘‘It’s got to be one or the other and then we get on with life.

‘‘I’ve had plenty of disappointments. In my career I’ve had my star striker sold behind my back when I was on holiday and also my skipper. If a player wants to go, you accept it as part and parcel of the game.’’

Bassett admitted: ‘‘Muzzy is the most valuable player in our team at the moment. That goes without saying. If he goes it would allow me a certain amount of money to bring someone in.

‘‘It would be up to the board how much they want for him. You would want to get as much as you can but there will be a reserve price that no-one will want to drop below.’’