Sources: Russell Martin told Abdul Fatawu and two other big names to leave Leicester City
Russell Martin has been told that Leicester City will have to sell Abdul Fatawu, Ben Nelson and Jannik Vestergaard this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
The Foxes are expected to confirm the 40-year-old's appointment this week, and he will be asked to work with a revamped squad in League One as decision-makers attempt to raise funds to cope with relegation.
Ten years on from winning the Premier League, Leicester were dropped to the third tier in April after a torrid season at the King Power Stadium.
Neither Marti Cifuentes or Gary Rowett were able to save the club from a second consecutive relegation, with Martin now tasked with picking up the pieces.
The former Southampton boss was sacked by Rangers in October after a dismal stint at Ibrox, but he does arrive with experience of managing in League One with MK Dons.
Leicester have already lost Patson Daka, Ricardo Pereira and several others on free transfers, with 16-year-old Jeremy Monga also expected to leave in the coming weeks.
Leicester City to lose key players
Jordan James was a rare standout for Leicester last season, scoring 11 Championship goals from midfield.
Leicester transfer chiefs had agreed a £5million option to buy him permanently from Stade Rennais at the end of the season, but relegation ruled out his stay.
Fatawu is another to emerge with some credit, having scored nine goals and provided seven assists this season.
Leicester signed the 22-year-old from Sporting CP in a deal worth close to £15m in 2024, and will hope to get close to that figure if Premier League clubs show interest this summer.
Nelson emerged this season following a loan to Oxford United, and has just one year remaining on his deal.
The same can be said of Vestergaard, who has been with Leicester since 2021 and is now 33.
All four players will need to be replaced this summer if the Foxes are to have a hope of instant promotion.
Is Martin the right man to lead Leicester forward?
Martin's time at Rangers and his Premier League period at Southampton appear to have tainted his reputation.
If Leicester decision-makers looked beyond those stints, however, they would have seen a clear record of improvement in the lower leagues.
Martin's arrival at MK Dons in 2019 saw the club rise to 18th to survive relegation, before finishing five positions higher in the following campaign.
Swansea City, too, where the Englishman took them from 15th in his first season to 10th in his second.
Leicester will hope that Martin can achieve instant promotion at the King Power Stadium, but he will, at the least, give them a solid foundation to work from.