Leicester City centre-back Jannik Vestergaard is set to make his comeback against AFC Bournemouth following a short spell on the sidelines.
The 32-year-old had been recovering from an ankle injury, but Leicester did not communicate his unavailability. Foxes fans were surprised to see Vestergaard missing from the squad against Walsall, and Steve Cooper later confirmed his absence was due to an injury he had picked up a few weeks ago.
Jannik Vestergaard named in Denmark squad
Vestergaard was named in the Denmark squad for the upcoming international break and is expected to be fit to face Bournemouth this Saturday. Following Caleb Okoli’s arrival, Jannik Vestergaard has found himself on the bench. While his injury may have been the reason for his absence, replacing Okoli in the starting lineup will be tough. The Italian has been excellent in defence and has formed a good partnership with Wout Faes at the back. With Conor Coady, the current substitute centre-back, Vestergaard will hope this is not a repeat of the Brendan Rodgers era.
Having been signed from Southampton for around £15 million in 2021, Vestergaard wasn’t given many opportunities before he was shunned from the squad by Rodgers. In his first two seasons at the club, the Denmark international made just six Premier League starts, with all of them coming in his first season at Leicester. When the Foxes were relegated, Vestergaard’s departure was considered a certainty.
Resurgence under Enzo Maresca
However, Enzo Maresca was appointed, and he liked the Dane’s playing style. The manager wanted Leicester to build from the back and considered Vestergaard’s passing necessary for the Foxes to play that way. The defender quickly became one of Leicester’s integral members, going on to make 42 starts in the Championship.
Following Leicester’s promotion to the Premier League, there were doubts whether his contract would be renewed. While his defending and passing are excellent, his lack of pace is a huge liability. Ultimately, Vestergaard was handed a three-year contract extension. However, with Okoli, Faes, and Coady in the squad, whether he will be utilised often this season remains to be seen.
