Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers maintains he “won’t be begging for a player to stay” as conversations regarding James Maddison’s contract continue.
Maddison is entering the final season and a half of his deal with Leicester and there has been plenty of discussion about whether he will move away from the King Power Stadium.
The 26-year-old has been in fine form for the Foxes, scoring nine goals in total this season including two in their last two games, and Rodgers issued an update on his contract talks.
“It’s a conversation we’ve been having with James’ representatives for a while so there’s no change in that, not that I’m aware of,” he told a press conference.
“I want to make sure that James is playing to the best of his ability no matter what the circumstances.
“Thankfully, he has more experience as a player now, and he is solely focused on giving us his all while being available and healthy.
He is a top player in the league, and he has proven that during his time here. You can see the progression from when he first arrived to the situation he is in now.
“I believe that’s the kind of club we are; we’ll grow players, we’ll make players better, and we can provide them with excellent working environments, but I won’t be pleading with a player to stay,” said the manager.
“This is a fantastic club; there is fantastic support here on the field and off the field, and if you’ve been here a while, you understand what the club is all about and where it wants to go.
Although a player’s career is brief and they must constantly consider the future, all I ever ask is that they give their all now, while they are still playing.
“Of course, I’ll speak honestly and frequently with players to ensure that I understand what they’re thinking, and then we just move forward from there.”
When Leicester plays Manchester United on Sunday, Rodgers will be counting on another outstanding effort from Maddison.
Rodgers is eager for the encounter at Old Trafford since the Foxes have won their past two games with distinction, defeating Aston Villa 4-2 and Tottenham 4-1.
He said, “I’ve won there, I’ve lost there. Always a terrific place to go and play.”
“So it’s a terrific location to go and play. You know, to get a result you’ve got to be strong, you’ve got to defend well, be aggressive, and it’s a great huge surface to go and play football on.
We want to show off our skills moving forward and try to be active in the game after we’ve finished the dirty job.