Foxes expect Izzet to leave

Leicester are resigned to losing the services of long-serving midfielder Muzzy Izzet in the summer.

Foxes manager Micky Adams has admitted: “We can’t afford to keep him.”

Izzet has been with the Foxes for nearly nine years since joining from Chelsea during the early days of Martin O’Neill’s spell at the club.

But he is out of contract in the summer and Adams knows that the Foxes will not have the financial clout to hold onto him now that they have been relegated from the Barclaycard Premiership.

Izzet nearly left Leicester two years ago when they went down to Division One but decided against a £6m (€8.8m) switch to Middlesbrough and instead helped City regain their top flight status.

Adams said: “Muzzy is going to go – but we are not sure where he is going to go. There are a number of interested Premiership clubs.

“I would like to keep Muzzy but we can’t afford to keep him and he goes with our best wishes.

“No-one can question the commitment he has shown to the club. He has done well out of the club and also done well for the club.”

Birmingham are reported to be favourites to land the Turkish international with Aston Villa and Portsmouth also believed to be interested in acquiring his services.

Meanwhile, Leicester will review video evidence of the recent game with Manchester City at the Walkers Stadium before deciding whether to appeal against FA charges arising from that game.

Midfielder Steffen Freund has been charged with improper conduct while both clubs have been charged with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.

Adams said: “We will look at the video of the incident again and see where we go and what we decide to do.”

Tempers boiled over after Leicester were awarded a controversial late penalty although Paul Dickov’s spot-kick was saved by David James.