Rodgers says Man Utd links ‘not real’, as Leicester manager blasts Solskjaer treatment
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has played down the continuous rumours linking him with Man Utd, as well as defending their manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Rodgers is the frontrunner to replace Solskjaer at Old Trafford, should the Norwegian be sacked in the next few weeks. The Red Devils are already nine points behind league leaders Chelsea and have failed to look convincing in the Champions League.
Rodgers’ contract with the Foxes runs until June 2025, and the East Midlands club do not seem to be worried about losing him.
The Northern Irishman has a fantastic relationship with the board of directors and Leicester supporters. He has taken them to both FA Cup and Community Shield glory this year.
His next aim is to help Leicester finish in the top four. They spent large amounts of the last two campaigns there, before falling out on the final day both times.
12th-placed Foxes host Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime. At the pre-match press conference, Rodgers was asked about potentially replacing Solskjaer. He said: “There’s two things. Firstly it is really disrespectful to ask the question when you have a manager in place, a good manager and a good man, who is working hard at the club.
“Secondly I can’t really comment on it, because it is not something that is real.
“I am here as the Leicester City manager, proud to be here, privileged to be here and fully committed to the players, the club, the ownership. That’s about it, all the other noise around that is something we can’t control.”
On whether the persistent links were irritating, he added: “It doesn’t frustrate me because my focus is always looking for the next game. The only club I am thinking about is Chelsea and getting ready for that.
“It is frustrating for our supporters and also my players, if anyone is to read anything that is out there then that can destabilise. It is something that is the modern game, lots of speculation and gossip, it’s all part of the modern game but it’s not something I have any focus on.”
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Rodgers also had to deal with questions about the futures of Kasper Schmeichel and Wesley Fofana.
Influential keeper Schmeichel, 35, will look to leave the King Power before his retirement. Fofana, meanwhile, is a transfer target for Chelsea.
“Speculation and gossip is natural in the modern game. It is the frustrating element of the game.
“Kasper has been such a great servant for the club, he has been first class since I came into here but over the 10 or 11-year period he has been sensational for the club.
“I have got no worries about Kasper’s mentality and commitment. I haven’t seen any of the interviews so I can’t comment on that.
“For both boys, Wesley as well, you see how comfortable they are in the environment. Every player will have ambitions to be at the highest level and want to do that but that doesn’t mean they are always thinking to leave here to do that.
“This is a club that is ambitious and the two players are very committed to doing that. We are a group that has won some silverware and want to see if we can win more. Both those players are first class.”
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