Leicester City have signed defender, Callum Doyle on a season-long loan from Manchester City.
Doyle spent last season on loan with Leicester’s Championship rivals, Coventry where he made 46 appearances as he helped the Sky Blues reach the Play-Off Final which they lost to Luton on penalties, after a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.
That result marked a sharp contrast to Doyle’s loan spell at Sunderland in 2021-22 season, which saw him play a key role in the Black Cats’ promotion from League One via the Play-Offs as they beat Wycombe Wanderers in the Final.
Man City have since decided to send Doyle back out on loan for a third consecutive season, but this time to Leicester where he will play under City’s ex assistant manager, Enzo Maresca who is the Foxes’ new manager.
Speaking about his decision to join the Foxes as they target instant promotion back to the Premier League, Doyle commented: “It’s great to come to work in a place like this. I’ve worked with Enzo before and won the Under-23s Premier League title with him. He improved me a lot so it’s good to work with him again.
“What’s on everyone’s mind right now is obviously to get the Club back where it belongs. This season, with the squad that we have, I think we’ll do really well.”
“I’m excited to get going,” commented Doyle upon reuniting with Maresca who was in charge of City’s Under-23s Premier League success in 2020-21 season, which set the now 19 year-old up to be sent out on loan over the last two seasons.
On what it is like to play under Maresca, Doyle added: “He improved me a lot so it’s good to work with him again. He’s very on it as a manager. He’s obviously very tactically proven. His player management is unbelievable as well. It’s always good to have a one-to-one [relationship] with the manager.”
Doyle also iterated that supporters can expect him to be “comfortable on the ball” and creating opportunities, as he continued: “I like to make things happen, bring the ball from the ‘keeper, get the midfield involved and hopefully create some chances.
“I think it’s important in the modern game to get on the ball, move it, and this season, with the squad that we have, we think we’ll do really well.”
Doyle will now link up with his new teammates as Leicester kick off their pre-season with a trip to Northampton Town tomorrow (3pm BST), and could make his competitive debut for Leicester on Sunday 6 August, as the Foxes host Doyle’s former team, Coventry at the King Power Stadium in a 12pm kick-off live on Sky Sports.
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