The Leicester logjam: Why Brendan Rodgers' transfer plans have been paralysed

It is less than three weeks until the start of the Premier League season, and Leicester City are the only club in the division yet to make a signing this summer.

The “healthy shake-up” targeted by Brendan Rodgers has not materialised so far and Leicester’s transfer window appears stuck in a state of paralysis.

Fans are starting to grow increasingly concerned, as clubs around them splash the cash, and an interview by Rodgers last weekend provided some stark reality to clarify the situation.

The unpalatable truth, in simple terms, is that Leicester have to sell players before they can buy. It is a logjam that is proving a huge frustration.

Leicester’s wages-to-turnover ratio is very high and simply unsustainable at the current levels. There are too many highly-paid players spending their weekends doing nothing on matchdays.

Financial losses for next year, on current projections, could be over £90 million, yet the commitment of owners King Power remains unwavering and it is the size of the squad and Financial Fair Play that are the bigger concerns.

Without funds coming in, or the wage bill being eased, Rodgers cannot move for the players he wants to revitalise his squad.

Chelsea's highly-regarded defender Levi Colwill, PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke and Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley are high on Leicester's list but everything is on hold at this stage.

Youri Tielemans remains a target for Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta the main driving force behind the move, but they have still not made their play. With only tentative interest at this stage from Manchester United, Arsenal are not in any rush.

Tielemans has delayed signing a new contract and is understood to even be reluctant to sign an extension if he does not move this summer.

The Belgium midfielder has proved an excellent signing but last season he appeared affected by the uncertainty. He wants to play in the Champions League but those calibre of clubs have not come forward.

Other anticipated departures have failed to occur so far. Kasper Schmeichel admitted last season that it could be time to pursue a fresh challenge, but reported for training on Monday.

After more than a decade with the club, the only certainty is that Schmeichel will leave on his own terms.

Leading agencies have been supplied with mandates to find clubs for players considered expendable, including last summer’s signings Boubakary Soumare, Jannik Vestergaard and Ryan Bertrand.

Monaco have inquired over Soumare's availability but valuations are apart and, aside from that, there has been little interest so far.

Of course, that poor recruitment last season is one of the reasons for this summer’s inactivity. While they have got many signings right over the years, such as Wesley Fofana, James Justin and Timothy Castagne, last summer was bitterly disappointing.

It has now opened up the prospect of Leicester having to consider offers for players they would ordinarily want to keep, such as James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho and Castagne.

How has this happened? It appears Leicester are possibly paying the price for showing ambition, and daring to unsettle the established elite.

For two seasons running they occupied the top four for months and months, until agonisingly slipping out of the Champions League places on the final day twice.

They won the FA Cup last year and have been on regular European excursions, with Rodgers fulfilling his mission to “disrupt the hierarchy”.

Maybe this is the year where the determination to stay on an upward curve of progress has caught up with them.

There is pressure to pay big wages in a competitive division to entice players, but the drawbacks are massive if the signings don’t work out.

At a club the size of Leicester, recruitment is absolutely crucial and has to be as near to spot on as possible.

To view the situation in an alternative, more positive, light: there should still be much optimism ahead of the coming season.

Leicester were without Fofana, Jamie Vardy, Jonny Evans, Wilfred Ndidi and Justin for large parts of last season at different times due to injuries.

Yet they are all back in training and Leicester’s first XI, when all are fit, is formidable. Even today, the likes of Manchester United, and perhaps Arsenal and Tottenham, would happily take at least five or six Leicester players in a heartbeat if money were no object.

To finish eighth in the Premier League and reach a semi-final in European competition last season was also an excellent achievement for Rodgers and a heavily-depleted squad.

It may not have felt like that at the time, but history may look more fondly on last season as another triumph over adversity.

There is still time for the “shake-up” to happen, with 43 days left in the transfer window.

We have learned over the years to never write Leicester off.