£90k-a-week Leicester City star will surely love Marti Cifuentes appointment - Here’s why | OneFootball

Harry Winks could get back to his best under Cifuentes' management

Leicester City supporters will hope for yet another successful season of Championship football after it was confirmed that Marti Cifuentes has taken the reins at the King Power Stadium.

The past two seasons which the Foxes have featured in the second tier have resulted in title-winning seasons, with the latter of those coming under Enzo Maresca's stewardship two campaigns ago. And, whilst the landscape of the East Midlands club is extremely different to then, with Leicester's financial situation still somewhat uncertain, the hierarchy at the King Power will once again be targeting an immediate top-flight return.

There were very few positives to take for the club last season during a relegation season which began under Steve Cooper and ended in beyond dismal fashion under the recently-departed Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Harry Winks - a seasoned campaigner at Premier League level through his days at Tottenham Hotspur - saw his gametime diminish significantly, especially after a well-documented dispute with the aforementioned Dutchman in the season's final weeks.

However, with Cifuentes now at the helm, his philosophy and Winks' best attributes are a match made in heaven, and will likely be a key factor in deciding Leicester's fortunes for the upcoming campaign.

Leicester City will become possession-heavy once more under Marti Cifuentes

If the Spaniard sticks to his core principles, then Championship onlookers will be used to seeing the Foxes look to dominate possession on an extremely regular basis, which is exactly how the aforementioned Maresca set out his side during the 2023/24 campaign.

It is clear that the newly-appointed manager is looking to go down this particular avenue, regardless of the fact that Rangers' average possession numbers - 46.6% - during his solitary full season with the Hoops didn't always give the clearest of indications.

“Some of the reasons that attract me to be here is I think there is a good fit between the quality of the players and the style of football I like to play," Cifuentes outlined during his first press conference as Leicester boss.

Leicester's average possession numbers last term were also significantly lower than that of their title-winning season. However, this was largely down to a major change in approach, regardless of a change in the dugout, due to the sheer upgrades in quality across the park when it comes to opposition.

Under Maresca, only Southampton - under the notoriously possession-based Russell Martin - saw more of the ball on average than the Foxes - and it was, alongside having such a high-calibre squad to perform such actions, a key facet which led to the accumulation of 97 points, although form did tail off in the season's final weeks.

Whilst it has been reported that Cifuentes is going to have to balance the books financially before acquiring new signings, the 43-year-old has full faith in those who don't depart between now and Deadline Day, as well as fresh faces, to adapt to his methods. Naturally, he has conceded that it will take some time before it reaches 'finished article' status.

Harry Winks can flourish under Marti Cifuentes as Leicester City target immediate success

Winks, who, according to Capology, earns an ESTIMATED £90,000 per week as one of the club's highest earners, will surely see the aforementioned viewpoints as music to his ears as he looks to get his performance levels and gametime back on track.

In a side who are looking to dominate proceedings, the 29-year-old is viewed as a metronome, linking defence to attack almost instantly, and having the ability to also drive the ball forward individually with great composure and combativeness.

Although his midfield partner in Maresca's previous 4-2-3-1 system, Wilfred Ndidi - could be on his way out of the club as Everton, Manchester United and Juventus eye up the Nigerian due to a £9m release clause, the former Spurs man can still emulate his numbers of two seasons ago with a fresh companion in the middle of the park.

Ironically, Winks assisted twice last season despite not doing so at all during his first campaign at the King Power. However, stats such as 0.7 key passes per 90 minutes, an overall pass completion percentage of 94 percent, 98.2 touches per game and 5.5 recoveries per game showcase how imperative it is for possession-based managers to have a player of this ilk within the starting lineup producing consistent performances on a game-by-game basis during the 46-game season.