LCFC Academy of Left Backs and Left Wingbacks

There is something in the water at the Leicester City academy that has led to the conveyor belt of left backs and left wingbacks.

Jeffrey Schlupp:

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An academy graduate at Leicester City currently playing in the Premier League with Crystal Palace and the first in the string of left wingbacks to emerge from the Leicester academy. He joined the Foxes at 11-years-old and slowly grew up the ranks along with another academy graduate Liam Moore, who is currently playing in the championship with Reading. His speed and talent made him optimal for the left wing back position and can play on anywhere on the left-hand side of the pitch. He made his debut with Leicester city as an 18-year-old, scoring a hat-trick. He was part of the team that won the Premier League and even scored during the title winning season. Jeffrey made 149 first team appearances for the Foxes since that first outing in 2011, scoring 15 goals in the process.

Callum Elder:

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Next on the conveyor belt of left backs from the academy is this Australian international who left his home and country to joined the Leicester academy at the young age of 16 years. He rose through the teams in the academy and eventually outgrew the Under 23’s team so was sent on loan to various different teams in the football league like Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Brentford, Barnsley and then Wigan. Unfortunately for him there was Premier League title winner Christian Fuchs in front of his, and Ben Chilwell academy prodigy while a younger than him, slowly overtook him in the line for a left back place in the first team. Leicester City had hoped that he would one day play in the first team, though he wasn’t given many chances apart from the odd summer friendly games to show his progress to the different managers. When Ben Chilwell earned the left back spot for himself, and with Christian Fuchs signing on another one-year extension, Callum Elder took the decision to search the outside of Leicester for more playing time and eventually signing a three-year contract at Hull City in the Championship.

Ben Chilwell:

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Chilwell joined the Leicester City academy at 12 years of age, played through the ranks up to the first team. Joined the first team training around the time of the title winning season, though he spent a short few months on loan at Huddersfield. Took his time to displace Christian Fuchs as the first choice left back, but eventually under Claude Paul he got his chances in a series of starts as left back which he grabbed with both hands. He even made his England debut as a Leicester City player at the King Power stadium and has overtaken Danny Rose and Luke Shaw as England’s first choice left back. Until he left for Chelsea at the end of last season he was the poster boy for Leicester City’s academy and the route to the first team and England international.

Luke Thomas:

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Born in Leicestershire, Luke Thomas is the latest on the Leicester City Academy left back conveyor belt. While he has only played 6 times for the Leicester Under 23s before he was thrown into the deep end and into the first team match day squad as a left back on 16^th July, 2020 vs Sheffield United. Came out flying with an assist in his first match. Injuries to Ben Chilwell and Christian Fuchs left space for his instant promotion to the first team towards the end of last season; where he has remained, albeit not a regular, in and around having played 13 matches this season. The latest of which is a match winning performance against Aston Villa, with Gareth Southgate looking on...

Who next? Need to watch a few of the academy games to see if there is another Left Back is next in line to play League football...