Sheffield United set to make January decision on Leicester City player | OneFootball

Leicester City are flying high in the Championship as they head into 2024, and they have now opened up an eight-point gap on their nearest rivals in the form of Ipswich Town at the top of the standings.

Enzo Maresca's side have been defeated just three times in the league so far this season, and they look well on course to make it back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Maresca had to somewhat rebuild the Foxes squad in his own style over the course of the summer, which meant releasing, selling and loaning some first-team players.

And one of the temporary departures that Leicester sanctioned back in the summer could be about to return to the King Power Stadium for the second half of the season - even though he may not fit into Maresca's squad at all.

According to a report from The Sun journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon account, Premier League strugglers Sheffield United could be about to send Luke Thomas back to Leicester after an as of now unsuccessful stint at Bramall Lane.

The Blades landed the 22-year-old on a straight loan deal for the rest of the 2023-24 season at the end of August to bolster their options at left wing-back - that was despite already signing a player for that position in Yasser Larouci.

Thomas was a regular starter under Paul Heckingbotton, but he had not made an appearance under his successor Chris Wilder until Saturday afternoon, where he started against Man City in a 2-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

Wilder has options at wing-back, including Larouci, Max Lowe and a returning Rhys Norrington-Davies, and that could leave Thomas surplus to requirements.

And if Sheffield United can agree a deal to send Thomas back to the King Power Stadium, then it would open a loan slot up for Wilder to do his own transfer deals in the January window.

Unfortunately for Thomas though, should he be sent back to Leicester then it's unlikely that he will get a game under Maresca.

A very attack-minded full-back, Thomas would not suit the Italian's system, which sees the left-back tuck in to create a back three whilst the right-back moves into the midfield to partner the single pivot midfielder - which is usually Harry Winks.

For the very same reason as Thomas, Victor Kristiansen departed for Italian outfit Bologna in the summer transfer window as he too was an attacking full-back, but the only players holding the width for the Foxes are the two wingers of choice under Maresca.

Whilst Maresca is in charge of City, there is likely no room for Thomas to flourish unless he can be re-invented, and if Sheffield United do not want him then it's likely another loan departure could be happening in the second half of the season.