Yohan Benalouane; Leicester’s forgotten man

It’s easy to forget about Yohann Benalouane. Since signing from Serie A outfit Atalanta in the summer of 2015, he’s made just four appearances for Leicester City. He last featured Most weeks he’s failed to even make the match day squad despite our lack of depth in defence. In spite of this, he’s remained a brilliant professional, supporting the club at every turn and never publicly complaining.

Benalouane was a Claudio Ranieri signing, apparently not targeted by regular recruiter, Steve Walsh. We allegedly parted with eight million Euros for his signing and on paper, it looked like a decent signing for us. A centre-back, it looked like he’d bolster our back-line and provide cover for Wes Morgan and Robert Huth. He made four substitute appearances last season in the league, failing to qualify him for a Premier League medal. Leicester fans haven’t seen him involved in a first team match since January when he came on against Tottenham in the FA Cup third round replay. It’s difficult to say how he performed because we never really got a chance to see enough of him to make a fair judgement.

So why did he become the forgotten man? Rumours circled prior to the January transfer window that we’d be willing to let him leave, though only on loan initially. A transfer deadline day loan move to Serie A side Fiorentina came about, the defender joining them with a view to making it permanent. A back injury saw that he never made an appearance for the Italian side, the loan cut short and the player returning to Leicester. Many thought perhaps we’d see him sold during the summer but it seems we either didn’t want to, or there were no bids. However when we named our Premier League, and Champions League, squads for this season, his name was entirely absent.

His inclusion in our Under-23s squad, where he was allowed to captain the side against Grimsby Town in the last week suggest that his absence is not down to a poor attitude or lack of effort. As mentioned above, when uninjured, he’s never skipped training or been anything less than a supportive team-mate, cheering on the side much like the fans. Match fitness and niggling injury seem more likely to be the reason. The loan move that saw him join Fiorentina never really got started, the Italian club claiming we sent Benalouane to them already injured (the medical having been skipped due to the deadline rush). The situation soured with the Italian side refusing to pay his wages and returning him to us towards the end of the season.

While too late to do anything about it now, he could have been a useful option for us to help cover the defensive gaps we’re now seeing this season. Instead, it looks like attention will turn to buying players in January that can do this for us. So what next for Benalouane? I have to admit that I was surprised not to see him play a part in the League Cup match against Chelsea, forcing our hand to have to play Morgan for another ninety (plus the thirty of extra time) minutes when Benalouane remained on the bench. Another suggestion that he simply does not hold the match fitness Ranieri felt was required for such a clash.

Benalouane isn’t the only player Leicester fans had almost forgotten about. Another we thought might have left during the summer is Ben Hamer, last seen starting for the first team when Kasper Schmeichel was injured in the 2014/15 season that we avoided relegation. Injury and several loan spells in-between mean we have seen little of the goalkeeper, who finds himself further down the pecking order, Ron Robert Zieler preferred to him and young Danish goalkeeper, Iversen also snapping at his heels. Hamer too found himself playing for the Under-23s against Grimsby, less than ideal for a goalkeeper of his quality.

The other; Matty James. Though this one is a more disappointing tale. James suffered serious injury in the season we made our great escape from relegation. It was a frustrating one too as he was having a great season alongside Esteban Cambiasso. He’s not made an appearance since, a long road to recovery plagued by re-injuries along the way. His latest comeback delayed again with another injury. His absence paved the way for Danny Drinkwater to truly step up last season. Leicester fans are not only wondering if we’ll see James put on the shirt again, but also where he’d fit into our side right now.

Whether there is a way back in for Benalouane remains to be seen. If he is going to get back into Ranieri’s plans then it will have to be for the Under 23 and Under 21 sides, his first team opportunities are limited, no way in now until the January FA Cup third round, providing he’s still at the club by then. You wouldn’t blame him for wanting to depart us in January and look for some regular first-team football, but we desperately need more centre-backs for cover and support, so it’s still tough to imagine him leaving without us looking at replacements.