Four ways Leicester City can solve Enzo Maresca’s newest problem including wildcard option

Due to a knee injury, Callum Doyle will be out for a long. Since the January transfer market is still three months away, Maresca must explore inside the organization for a replacement.

Leicester City cannot consider filling Callum Doyle’s absence with a fresh hire because, as Enzo Maresca notes, “it’s so long” before the January transfer market opens.

Maresca must search inside for alternatives because the Manchester City loanee is expected to be out for a time due to a knee injury, even though the precise problem is yet unknown. There are no other left-footed defenders on the senior group, so it’s not an easy task.

Victor Kristiansen was earmarked by Maresca as Doyle’s possible deputy, but the young Dane had little interest in sticking around to pick up the skills necessary to fill in at center defense. He is presently having fun playing for Bologna on loan as a more conventional left-back.

City must thus come up with a fresh option to take the place of the one who was offering them. Maresca responded, “Oh, it’s so far (away),” when asked if Doyle’s injury may prevent him from playing long enough for a January move to be considered. All I can say is that it’s really unfortunate. We had a few more solutions when Callum was around that we don’t have today.

“Simple things are what matter. He can discover answers inside, on the other side, and in the back with his left foot. We now make a slight alteration with a right footer. We are powerless in the present since the transfer window has already closed. We simply need to work with the players we already have to find a solution.

So here are four guys that City may use. With one rising through the ranks, there are already three members of the first team.

He is the obvious option as current first-choice back-up on the other side, and as a player who believes he is at his best on the left. But Maresca did not sound totally convinced Justin was the man for him, describing his performance in Doyle’s role against Bristol City as “quite good”, which is less enthusiastic than he has been about his showings on the other side.

What Justin would bring is athleticism and a greater attacking instinct, the England international keen to carry the ball into forward areas. But in terms of passing, he won’t be able to provide what Doyle does.