Wesley Fofana will not feature when Leicester City take on his suitors Chelsea on Saturday, as the Blues reportedly weigh up another bid for the defender.
Fofana has emerged as a top target for Thomas Tuchel's team since they missed out on Jules Kounde to Barcelona last month, and they have already had several bids turned down for the 21-year-old.
While Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has repeatedly refused to countenance Fofana's departure, he revealed on Wednesday that the Frenchman was training away from the first team.
Fofana also sat out the Foxes' 2-1 Premier League defeat to Southampton last weekend, with Rodgers later revealing the defender was not in the right frame of mind to play.
And Fofana will not be at Stamford Bridge in Leicester's next outing, as Rodgers declared: "He won't be available for the weekend. He has trained with our under-23 squad.
"For me, it's always about the commitment and when the players are ready to commit to the ethos of the team. If they're not in the right frame of mind, we have to move on. The window will shut and then things will become clearer."
Asked whether Leicester expected to field another offer for Fofana, Rodgers said: "I'm not sure. My concentration is really with the players that we have and the team.
"I can't lose energy thinking so much about it, it'll be between the clubs. We have to continue to work with what we have."
If Fofana joins Chelsea before the transfer window closes next week, Leicester will likely receive a fee comparable to what they accepted from Manchester United for Harry Maguire in 2019 – reported to be £80million.
However, Rodgers does not see Fofana's situation as being similar to that of Maguire, adding: "No, it was totally different.
"I was aware over the course of the summer that that [Maguire's departure] could happen.
"Harry, in terms of his behaviour and his focus for the club, he was fantastic right until the last minute, then he moved on. It was different. Our focus is with the team."
Leicester are one of just five Premier League teams without a win after three matches of the new campaign and are yet to make a single outfield addition in the transfer window, with their move for Cardiff City goalkeeper Alex Smithies representing their only action in the market to date.
Rodgers remains hopeful he will welcome new additions to the King Power Stadium in due course, although they may be facilitated by departures.
"Hopefully that can be the case," he added. "It would be really good for the team, to improve the squad. Everyone knows the situation, and until that changes, we work with what we have.
"We're looking at a few players [leaving] in order to bring some in. That's been the model of the club, in terms of releasing funds."
Charlie Adam ‘gutted’ after Posh loss leaves Fleetwood on brink of relegation
Fleetwood boss Charlie Adam admitted his side were masters of their own downfall after being left on the brink of relegation from League One following a 4-1 defeat at Peterborough.
The Cod Army are facing up to a future in League Two after being left six points from safety with just two games to go.
They only have themselves to blame after Promise Omochere and Bosun Lawal both missed penalties before Adam’s men were put to the sword by play-off bound Posh.
Lawal fired Fleetwood ahead after just 13 seconds and then earned the ninth-minute penalty that Omochere saw saved by Posh keeper Jed Steer.
Malik Mothersille fired Posh level with his first English Football League goal and the game was still in the balance when Lawal was denied from the spot by Steer with 15 minutes to go.
Posh then took command with Archie Collins’ 81st-minute strike being followed by a stoppage-time brace from substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris.
Adam admitted: “I’m gutted for the players and supporters. That performance did not deserve that result.
“To come here and show the character that we did, I’m really proud of the players, but we walk away extremely disappointed.
“We had the perfect start, but when you get big moments in games you have to take them and we have missed two penalties.
“The two lads stepped up and were brave enough to take them, but unfortunately for us they missed them.
“The dressing room is quiet and flat. Of course it’s going to be as we’re in a position we don’t want to be.
“We have to win two games and see where we are at the end of the season.
“The lads will be off tomorrow, we’ll come back in Thursday and prepare as we always do. The challenge is to finish on two positive results to take into next season.”
Peterborough are six points off the automatic-promotion spots with a game in hand.
Boss Darren Ferguson said: “Starting the game in the way we did – conceding a goal like that without even touching the ball – is bordering on the unprofessional.
“I never felt comfortable throughout the game, but we managed to get the reaction we wanted from Saturday by winning the game.
“If I was Charlie I would be really disappointed with the two penalties as they’ve both been pretty comfortable saves for Jed. It was a case of getting out of jail really for us.
“Jonno came on, set one up and scored two; Jed made the two penalty saves; Malik came in and scored so there were positives for sure, but there are things we have to tidy up.
“We’re in the play-offs now and another point secures us being at home in the second leg.
“Second place is obviously Derby’s to throw away but football works in many strange ways and they still need a win.”
PFA launches fitness programme to help ex-players manage move into retirement
Recently-retired players who could be at risk of feeling “in limbo” at the end of their careers are being offered the chance to join a new union-funded fitness network.
The RECONNECT initiative has been launched by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) to help ex-pros manage the physical and mental transition away from playing full-time.
Leicester’s 2016 Premier League title-winning captain Wes Morgan took part in the initial session at Loughborough University last month alongside former England striker Ellen White and ex-Leeds forward Jermaine Beckford, among others.
“A lot of players that I speak to who have recently retired struggle with finding what to do next,” Morgan said.
“The routine they are so used to gets taken away at retirement and they can feel slightly left in limbo.
“The benefit of the RECONNECT sessions is that they’re structured, which helps massively. The physical side is all taken care of and so former players get the opportunity to catch up with people they’ve not seen in a while and maybe have played with in the past.”
The network is part of a wider PFA effort to help its members succeed both during and after their playing careers.
Sessions will begin from early May, to be hosted at Leeds Beckett, Hull and Liverpool John Moores universities, with 17 higher education locations across England and Wales provisionally set to be used in the programme.
These sessions will consist of two-hour gym classes being delivered by performance coaches and there will also be access to sport and recovery therapies like massage and yoga. Sessions will be bookable via the PFA website.
White, who was a key part of the Lionesses squad which won the European title in 2022, said: “I think it’s a great project and something that could help a lot of players who are just coming out of the game.
“When you’re used to training every day and being around team-mates it can be a shock to the system when that suddenly stops.
“I think for a lot of people there is a big link between how they feel physically and how they feel more generally in terms of their well-being.
“Having something to help keep you in that routine and connect you to other former players can only be a good thing.”
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango added: “The physical impact of moving away from full-time football is often overlooked, but it can have big knock-on effects at what is often a really challenging time for players.
“Players spend years in structured training environments. Because it’s your job you can often take it for granted, but when you retire, you are suddenly left to look after your own fitness and exercise for the first time.
“The PFA’s RECONNECT network will give members who have recently retired a structured fitness resource that can help them build and maintain new exercise habits during this stage of their life and career.
“It’s an opportunity for former players to connect with each other in a social environment and to speak to the PFA to take advantage of the many services and opportunities that we provide.”
Boreham Wood earn vital point in survival fight with Rochdale stalemate
Boreham Wood nudged closer to National League safety after settling for a goalless draw at mid-table Rochdale.
The visitors headed into the game on the back of two straight wins that had taken them to the brink of safety and knew victory would lift them out of the bottom four.
Rochdale had the better of the first-half chances with D’Mani Mellor twice coming close, while Ryan East rattled the crossbar on the half-hour mark.
Boreham Wood grew into the game and had their best chance midway through the second half when Lee Ndlovu just failed to convert after home goalkeeper Jacob Chapman spilled the ball in the box.
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