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McCarthy: Why Would Leicester Let Lawrence Move On?
Tuesday, 17th Jan 2017 06:00

Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’s not spoken to anyone at Leicester City regarding the permanent signing of season-long loanee and Blues man of the moment Tom Lawrence. Despite a number of Championship clubs having been linked with the 23-year-old Wales international, the Town manager says the Foxes could opt to hang on to Lawrence, who has 18 months left on his contract.

Questioned on the value of Town's seven-goal top scorer in the currently very inflated transfer market, McCarthy said: “To us, he’s invaluable at the moment, whatever fee anybody wants to put on him, I’m not going to start tagging him with a price.

“I don’t know, but he’s certainly one of the better players and he’s playing in a team is not in the top six and flying, so his performances have been excellent.”

Lawrence has been linked with plenty of Championship clubs during his spell with the Blues, including Derby, Norwich, Reading, Cardiff and Wigan, but McCarthy believes he is a Premier League player and that he could still have a future with the Foxes, despite his lack of first-team opportunities since joining them from Manchester United in the summer of 2014.

“I think he is [a Premier League player], I think that is the case. He’s still only very young, even with all that’s happened to him and how many times he went out on loan.

“I tell you what, check out how many times Harry Kane went out on loan. Maybe this conversation was going on about him, somebody else trying to sign him before [he broke into the team at Spurs].

“He kind of got in the team, he was playing in European games and cup games but not in the league for Tottenham.

“Leicester are not mugs, they’ll be monitoring what they’re doing and why would they let him go? He’s got 18 months on a contract left. I don’t know if there’s an option on him, I’ve no idea, but he’s still their player.”

One or two Twitter rumours have claimed Town have approached the Premier League champions regarding a permanent deal, but McCarthy, who has previously stated that signing him in the summer is likely to be too expensive for the Blues, says that’s not the case.

“I’ve never asked the valuation, I’ve never spoken to anybody at Leicester,” he added.

“He’s our player to the end of the season, so I don’t need to do anything about that and I’m getting sick of asking about the valuations of players, I don’t need to be told I can’t afford another one just to make me feel any better.”


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BlueMachines added 06:14 - Jan 17
I was ready to moan. Surely the question should always be asked? But I guesss MM knows we couldn't even afford his wages let alone a transfer fee. So has basically given up already. Sad times at ITFC.
4

backwiththeboysagain added 07:34 - Jan 17
Is it possible Leicester could recall or sell him this transfer window, Chelsea loaned Ake to Bournemouth for the season but recalled him last week. If he's off we really are in the mire
0

dan_itfc55 added 07:58 - Jan 17
What harm is there in asking? I know he is in fantastic form at the moment, but honestly can anyone see him playing week in week out in the PL right now? Why not approach for another loan move for next season and see how he gets on then. I don't want to put a downer on anything because he has been brilliant this season... but how many "1 season wonders" are out there?
3

iaintaylorx added 08:22 - Jan 17
Anyone else remember when Ipswich Town would be in a good position to sign a player like this on a permanent? Disappointing...
3

RomeoZondervan added 08:33 - Jan 17
He is up there with Dos Santos as being one of the best loan signings we have had
7

hucks216 added 09:12 - Jan 17
It's sad that arguably our best players in the last 10 years have all been loanees.
2

NSL added 09:29 - Jan 17
Let's get one thing straight, the current level of fees are not 'inflated'. It's not a 'bubble'. Especially with China about to take things to a new level and the USA are only just getting started. It's reality and we simply cannot compete anymore for the better players.
1

ithw888 added 11:02 - Jan 17
Why not at least ask the question to Leicester? At least then we'll know if we can afford him or not. Who knows maybe ME will actually see theres some ambition from the club and decide to put his hand in his pocket for a change!
2

Bluetone added 11:05 - Jan 17
McCarthy two expressions come to mind:-

1 Nothing ventured nothing gained

2 You need to speculate to accumulate
2

algarvefan added 11:08 - Jan 17
Hey guys we are where we are, none of us like it, but it's a hard cold financial fact! I think a big difference this season has been the change in the loans scheme, probably smart loaning was one of the few ways we would have made it back into the Premier league.
Finding gems below us and our youth system are now key and the balls to play some of the younger players in the first team instead of old journeymen would also help. Sir Bobby Robson did this and look what happened there.
2

Corrick91 added 11:15 - Jan 17
Sad times but one thing you can't argue is Micks honesty.
Although very negative in his style, i'd love to see Mick giving one last final bit of real backing from Evans. Surely Evans is the real man holding us back from pushing on any further?
3

littlestoneblue added 12:08 - Jan 17
Tom is good for and with us, and is playing very well, but he's not the finished article for the premiership yet, I think Ranieri will loan him out to us for further development next season as well, lets hope Leicester will keep buying imported players with top European experience, but they did take a gamble on Vardy and it paid off, so its fingers crossed he stays.
2

Burnzee1991 added 12:22 - Jan 17
Can we at least try to sign him please Mick at the end of the season when his loan has ran out and Leicester need money to reinvest to secure their place in the prem next season can Marcus please have a look in his centre console and rustle up a decent bid for this lad, he's no one season wonder and with a more solid defence he could help us push for the premier league. I truly believe if we hold onto our players using the 3-5-2 next season we would be real contenders keep Lawrence and Sears up front because that partnership really works, Dozzell was playing some good chances into Sears that weren't quite 10/10 but by next season I reckon he will be a very capable midfielder :-)
3

ip5w1ch added 12:39 - Jan 17
hucks216
Cresswll, Mings, Bart, Mcgoldrick, Murphy, Berra, Wilnis, Wright, Smith, McAuley, Walters. Its true Fraser, Williams and Lawrence have been talented players in the last three years but the reality is the value of players and wages has left us behind (like many others) and loans are a relatively easy way for us to have access to players of this ilk.
0

tempzzzz added 13:27 - Jan 17
@littlestoneblue - it was pearson that took the chance on Vardy, but I know what you're saying. Didn't go for any bargain basement signings in the summer did they.

@backwiththeboysagain - he cannot be recalled unless all 3 parties agree, and I can't imagine we would. So unless he doe's a Payet and cries about it I would imagine he'll be here until the summer. Would be nice to make an attempt to keep him, or even a second season long loan to help us while developing him for Leicester. Who knows, if we got promoted next season we might even be able to afford a player that costs more than 500k!!
1

Warkys_Tash added 13:49 - Jan 17
Clever by Mick Mac. Knows we can't afford him & is making sure the likes of Norwich don't get him by saying Leics should hold on to him :)

At the start of the season it took him a few games to settle & he was even subbed a few times. Just proves what a run in the side can do.

Imagine if we had signed both Fraser & Lawrence? Wow.
1

BlueMachines added 16:10 - Jan 17
@ Walky's tash. MM's head would explode!!
1

jas0999 added 17:34 - Jan 17
'Cant afford another one' - sounds like most of Micks targets are outside of Evans budget I.e. Low cost.
1

heathen66 added 18:49 - Jan 17
Even if a permanent signing was not viable, we should be trying to convince Lawrence that his development will be better here at Portman Road for the rest of this season and next. Admittedly we need to start playing more attractive football but getting a lot of game time here has benefited him immensely already. Another season of lighting up the Championship with Ipswich will make him a far better player than being a part time player at a 'bigger' Championship club say like Derby or at Leicester in the PL.
We cannot afford him, so lets get the most out of him and convince him to progress here !!!
0

mutters added 19:05 - Jan 17
Perhaps he's being honest, perhaps it's a smoke screen but I'd be surprised if he hasn't of atleast asked. MM does play his cards close to his chest, so this may have been one of 7 figures offers we made. Sadly its unlikely, but can only live and hope
0


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