JibrinLeicester City’s goalkeeping department has been hit by yet another sickening blow, with Fran Vieites joining the infamous casualty list after a horror training ground incident—forcing the club to throw an unknown 19-year-old rookie into the deep end.
The Foxes headed into Saturday’s clash with Ipswich already reeling from the loss of veteran shot-stopper Asmir Begovic, who remains sidelined with an ankle issue. But in a cruel twist that has left fans questioning whether there’s a hex on the club’s keepers, Vieites—slated to be Jakub Stolarczyk’s understudy—twisted his knee in training just 24 hours before kick-off.
That devastating setback meant Under-21s goalkeeper Harry French was dramatically summoned to the senior matchday squad for the very first time, thrust into the spotlight with zero Premier League or Championship experience under his belt.
This isn’t just bad luck—it’s a full-blown crisis between the sticks. Stolarczyk now stands as the only fit senior goalkeeper at the King Power Stadium, with Begovic crocked and Vieites now nursing a twisted knee. The Spanish youngster’s absence leaves the Foxes scraping the barrel, forced to rely on a teenager who has spent this season featuring for the Under-21s in Premier League 2 .
French, born in September 2005, has been a regular for Leicester’s youth sides but has zero senior appearances to his name . His most notable action this term came in the EFL Trophy and Premier League 2, where he’s clocked up 18 appearances and kept three clean sheets . But let’s be honest—throwing an untested kid into the pressure cooker of a Championship relegation battle is a desperate gamble born of dire circumstances.
And it’s not just the keepers. Jeremy Monga was also ruled out with what boss Gary Rowett described as a minor issue, leading to Dujuan Richards being recalled. However, the Chelsea loanee never made it onto the Portman Road pitch.
Louis Page’s absence was purely tactical, with Hamza Choudhury back to full fitness and bolstering the midfield ranks.
Rowett said following the 1-1 draw: “Fran twisted his knee yesterday so that’s a blow with Asmir out, (those injuries) in quick succession. Jez it’s a little injury as well, so we’re just going to have to look after him.
“Louis, I just felt for this type of game that I needed more experience on the bench. We had Joe (Aribo) in there, JJ (Jordan James), Hamza. We had three players who can go in the middle of the pitch.
“He’s a really good player, Louis, he’s a lovely young player with great balance. But it needs must at this stage of the season and we’re going to have to make some of those decisions.
“Sometimes it’s easier to go for experienced players that have been through those battles before.”
The Vieites and Monga setbacks mean City now have SEVEN first-team players on the sidelines. The walking wounded include Begovic, Jannik Vestergaard, Harry Souttar, Victor Kristiansen, and Aaron Ramsey—a casualty list long enough to sink any promotion hopes .
With the transfer window slammed shut and the treatment room bursting at the seams, the Foxes are now praying their teenage emergency keeper doesn’t get thrown to the wolves. But in this season of never-ending nightmares, don’t bet against the curse striking again.
Jibrin
