City Fans Get First Glimpse of Wague In Action

Steve Beaglehole’s men to a strong, well-drilled Saints outfit but the 25-year-old gave the Under-23s a well-needed ballast at the back which benefited young defensive partner Elliott Moore on a rain-soaked evening at Holmes Park. 

With first-team manager Claudio Ranieri joining 398 members of the Blue Army watching on in Whetstone, Wagué delivered an assured, confident display with Southampton giving run-outs to a host of first-team stars including Cuco Martina and Florin Gardos. 

A , with the permission of parent club Granada, the former Caen defender is a former team-mate of ex-Foxes midfielder N'Golo Kanté and he came up against winger Riyad Mahrez, then at Le Havre, during his four-year spell in Normandy. 

Ranieri, joined by his backroom team at Holmes Park, added Wagué to his defensive ranks last month and hopes he will provide healthy competition to Robert Huth and Wes Morgan at centre-back with Yohan Benalouane and Marcin Wasilewski also in contention for a return over the coming weeks.

Wagué, who has 20 caps and four goals to his name at international level, showed why he has developed a reputation in Italy as a strong reader of the game on Monday night and used his physical strength to outmuscle Saints forwards Ryan Seager and Thomas O’Connor throughout. 

Speaking after the match, Under-23s assistant coach Ben Petty admitted he has been impressed with his application this week, telling : “I thought he was very good. It wasn’t easy for him because he doesn’t know any of the players and he’s only had a few days of training. 

“His attitude and his application and his training was very good so that looks good for the first team.” 

Wagué will not feature for the Foxes in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round reply against Championship outfit Derby County on Wednesday night but may make an appearance for Ranieri’s men in the crucial Premier League encounter with Swansea City four days later.

The combative centre-back, talking to LCFC.com for the first time last week, revealed he wants to lay down a marker as soon as possible: "My main aim is to get a place in the team. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to play in the team and become part of that group."