Leicester City Manager Russell Martin on Squad Changes and Game Management

Leicester City manager Russell Martin says the club must brace itself for more departures as he reshapes a squad built for the Premier League into one that can handle the grind of League One.

The new boss left Belgian defender Wout Faes and winger Stephy Mavididi out of the matchday squad for the season-opening draw at Notts County on Saturday, a decision that felt as telling as any transfer update. Both had featured in pre-season, with Mavididi starting the EFL Cup win over Northampton just a week earlier. Then, suddenly, neither even in the squad at Meadow Lane.

That omission spoke loudly. Martin does not expect to be working with either player once the summer window slams shut.

"I think we're navigating and managing change in the best way," he told BBC Radio Leicester, laying out the reality of a club forced to adjust quickly to a new division and a new financial landscape.

"They've been really respectful, I think we're treating them with respect. Whilst they're here, they train, they're involved. We just feel that for us, we have to be prepared to be without them."

Leicester have already rejected offers for both Faes and Mavididi, with interest continuing to build. Martin made it clear the situation is active, but not necessarily close to resolution.

"If they stay, no problem, we'd be really happy with both being here, but with the level of interest that we have. We've turned down bids for both, but that's ongoing, so we'll see, but I'm not sure any will go soon."

On the pitch, City were minutes away from starting life in League One with a statement win, only to be pegged back by an 81st-minute equaliser. What could have been a clean, confident opening day instead ended with a twinge of frustration and a lesson in game management for a young group.

Martin pinned the late setback on nerves and a loss of composure as the game wore on.

"I think that's the biggest learning for us," he said. "If we don't look after each other with the ball like we didn't in the last 20 minutes, the game becomes like that and it doesn't suit us."

The pattern was clear to him: Leicester invited pressure, stopped controlling possession and paid the price.

"It's the only frustration and it's because we have a couple of moments that make us anxious and we don't play with anywhere near enough intensity and detail with the ball in our half and it keeps coming back."

There were positives. Plenty of them, in Martin’s eyes. Leicester showed flashes of the football he wants, and he pointed to "a lot to like" in the performance, including a debut off the bench for forward Admir Bristric.

"I'm really happy with the group we have, genuinely," he said. "They're really young, you saw that at the end. With Admir, the front three was really young."

That youth brought energy and promise, but also underlined what Leicester still lack: hardened operators who know how to close out a tight game away from home when legs are heavy and minds are racing.

"So we could probably (do with) a couple of guys that have been there and done it to help us manage a game in that way, so we'll see, but there's nothing imminent in the next day or two."

Between possible exits, a call for experience and a raw, talented core, Martin’s rebuild is already juggling risk and reward. The question now is whether Leicester can keep their best assets, add the know-how he craves, and learn to turn those anxious final 20 minutes into the kind of ruthless control that defines promotion teams.