The Leicester City issue that will impact summer business | OneFootball

Leicester City are likely to go on a summer spending spree if they're promoted to the Premier League as expected but their sizeable wage bill could impact the way they spend.

The Foxes are hoping to secure promotion back to the top flight and are on course to do so at the moment.

Leicester's summer transfer plans likely to be impacted by hefty wage bill

While Leicester have been a dominant force in the Championship this term, Enzo Maresca will still want to make improvements to his squad in the summer to ensure they're ready for the top flight - assuming of course they go up this term.

But the Foxes might not go on the sort of spending spree that we've seen from other promoted clubs in the past and that, according to Leicester Live's Jordan Blackwell, is due to their hefty wage bill.

He suggested that six new signings would be needed for the Premier League but warned that it would not be a summer of splashing the cash.

Blackwell explained: "Profit and sustainability rules will have to be considered. City should be in a better place than where they were in the summer of 2022 because of all of the players leaving after relegation, like Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Evans, and Soyuncu.

"But they probably will have a higher wage budget than any promoted club has had previously, so even with the extra finances that come with being in the Premier League, you won't see them spending willy-nilly."

Player sales meant Maresca was able to add to his already impressive squad in the summer and he will want to do the same to ensure they can compete in the top flight but the club may have to be shrewd in the market.

Financial Fair Play rules are coming into play throughout the Premier League and EFL

If the last few years have taught English clubs anything, it's that they must proceed with caution.

Financial Fair Play is there to ensure that clubs are not spending well over what they earn.

EFL clubs such as Wigan and Reading have had points deductions for falling victim to breaking the rule that requires EFL sides to deposit an amount equal to 125% of the monthly wage bill.

Furthermore, Everton had a 10-point deduction for a breach of Premier League profit and sustainability rules, which was reduced to six points after an appeal, while Nottingham Forest have had charges levelled at them as well.

Manchester City are soon set to be investigated for allegedly breaking 115 FFP charges, which highlights the seriousness of breaking the rules laid out.

This all means that clubs throughout the English football pyramid are going to have to think twice before going all guns blazing in the transfer market.

Leicester's wage bill had hiked exponentially over the last decade

According to Capology, Leicester's estimated annual wage bill for 2023/24 is around £48m. This equates to an average of approximately £1.7m a year per player on average.

A decade earlier, this figure stood at about £17.2m, with an average annual salary of £521,418 per player.

Winning the Premier League and FA Cup as well as competing in the Champions League in 2016/17 would have increased the profits the club made dramatically, but FFP appear to be stamping their authority even at the highest level.

This wage bill is surely far beyond any a club has had when coming into the top flight, and that's something that Maresca will be aware of.

Leicester will have to be careful

These rules are a lot to get one's head around, but it could all limit clubs' spending this summer.

It will be no different for Leicester, who will have to be careful not to fall into the trap that rivals Forest have fallen into since they were promoted back in 2022.

They have spent like crazy, signing 44 players since their top flight return. It's no wonder they've been charged with breaking FFP rules.

That will serve as a warning to the clubs going up this year and Leicester's lofty wage bill is, as Blackwell has alluded to, going to impact the business they can do this summer.