Leicester City manager Claude Puel has denied claims he has replaced Kasper Schmeichel with Danny Ward amid reports linking the Danish goalkeeper to Chelsea and Roma.
With Roma having sold goalkeeper Alisson to Liverpool, and Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, both clubs are in the market for a new goalkeeper.
And according to reports, Leicester’s Schmeichel is high on their lists, having performed consistently well for club and country, with Denmark reaching the last-16 of the World Cup, losing on penalties to Croatia – with the goalkeeper saving three attempts from the spot in both normal time and the shootout.
But Puel has insisted talks of Schmeichel leaving the King Power is purely speculation and is determined to keep the Dane at the club.
“Of course Kasper is a very important player for us. He had a very strong World Cup,” he told reporters after Leicester’s 4-1 win over Notts County in a pre-season friendly (via Goal).
“We need Kasper, with his character, his performance and his consistency.
“There is no problem with this. There is a lot of speculation at this moment, it is normal.”
Danny Ward brings competition, not a replacement – Puel
The rumours of Schmeichel’s reported departure drew when Leicester signed goalkeeper Ward from Liverpool on a four-year deal for £12.5m.
Ward, 25, had spent six years at Liverpool but made just three appearances for the Reds (two in the Premier League and one in the League Cup) spending a large majority of his spell out on loan.
The Welshman was already third-choice goalkeeper at Liverpool behind Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet but dropped even further down the order following Alisson’s arrival – which led to his sale to Leicester.
But Puel made it clear Ward was signed to provide competition to Schmeichel and not as a replacement.
“I think he can bring more competition to the squad and more possibilities,” he added.
“It is a good thing to have competition between players in the squad to develop desire.
“It gives good focus and concentration.”
Ward has also been capped four times for the Welsh national team, most recently in November 2017, and made one appearance in Euro 2016.
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