Confirmed Transfer de Laet loaned to Middlesbrough

[Jeff]

Leicester City defender Ritchie De Laet has joined Championship side Middlesbrough on loan until the end of the 2015/16 season.

Ritchie, 27, has featured 14 times for the Foxes this term, including seven starts in the Premier League, but has not started a league game since the end of September.

Since joining City in the summer of 2012, De Laet has made 129 appearances for the Foxes, contributing considerably to the Club’s promotion to, and establishment in, the Barclays Premier League.

The Belgian’s five goals in a City shirt included one to spark a famous comeback against Aston Villa earlier this season – a game in which Leicester trailed 2-0 before going on to win 3-2.

He joins a Middlesbrough side under the guidance of Aitor Karanka and firmly in the race for automatic promotion from the Championship. After 27 games, Boro trail league leaders Hull City by just a point with a game in hand. They host Blackburn Rovers at the Riverside on Saturday.

 

[Fox Fan]

Probably a good move. It seemed that lots of teams have been targeting RL when he's played and his performances haven't been all that solid.

 

[jb5000]

Mystified. He shouldn't be in the first XI, but, especially with Benalouane going too, who plays in the event of Simpson getting injured?

 

[tedfoxxx]

Mystified. He shouldn't be in the first XI, but, especially with Benalouane going too, who plays in the event of Simpson getting injured?

Amartey I guess.

 

[City Fan]

Mystified. He shouldn't be in the first XI, but, especially with Benalouane going too, who plays in the event of Simpson getting injured?

I heard Amartey can play RB if required.

 

[Miles Away]

Amartey, Moore, Was, Albrighton.

Few options there.

De Laet is rubbish.

 

[Dour]

Amartey, Moore, Was, Albrighton.

Few options there.

De Laet is rubbish.

De Laet has been excellent. Signed as an attacking right-back, he played that part really well. When forced to play as a defensive right-back without much cover in front of him, he's looked poor. But that was never his game.

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Often caught out of position defensively. That is the part of his game he needs to work on. Plenty fast enough tearing down the wing though.

 

[londonfox]

I'm not sure if we'll see him playing for us again. Great signing at the time and as worthy of praise as everyone else involved in the Championship winning season and great escape.

Very good luck to him. But in Simpson and hopefully Anartey we have better options. I do wonder who we're going to stick on the right wing tho' when we're holding on for a 1-0

 

[Miles Away]

De Laet has been excellent.

Nope. Not having that. An absolute defensive liability, especially when we went up. Only Konchesky frustrated me more.

One of the worst positional defenders and his lack of awareness was startling. And nowadays we need a solid back four.

I'm being very harsh...but I'm glad I don't have to worry about him "defending" anymore.

Decent going forward mind, bags of pace. Will do a good job at championship level.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Amartey, Moore, Was, Albrighton.

Few options there.

De Laet is rubbish.

Wasilewski and Moore were never as good as De Laet in our Championshop season at right-back and both looked out of their natural position there.

Albrighton was great last season at right wing-back, but as we've seen with Schlupp, being a good wing-back doesn't mean being a good full-back.

I'd say we must have quite a lot of faith that Amartey can play that position.

I don't want to moan, as I'm happy with the window overall and am glad we didn't panic buy Remy or anyone, but the De Laet loan just feels a little risky to me.

 

[jb5000]

My thoughts exactly, we can't be saving much money by letting him out but the risk feels enourmous.

 

[londonfox]

The risk is far from enormous, if there is any risk at all.

 

[Miles Away]

Playing him is the risk.

 

[Matt_B]

Why are all of our players suddenly dropping dead in some people's minds?

 

[Feriol]

Why are all of our players suddenly dropping dead in some people's minds?

I can understand, with the prospect of the title, every decision seems massive.

The reality is that the players who have left haven't been playing, and are not likely to play unless there is a major injury crisis.

Allowing them out on loan keeps the squad happy, and players fit.

Best for all concerned and is not likely to damage our chances.

 

[FOX Franks]

Why are all of our players suddenly dropping dead in some people's minds?

Because they're utterly shit, Matt, you can't possibly be a good player unless no-one has ever seen you get caught out of position or make a mistake, didn't you know?

I think De Laet has been very good for this club. He has had shaky moments but several excellent ones. He pissed on United in the second half of the 5-3.

 

[Matt_B]

I can understand, with the prospect of the title, every decision seems massive.

The reality is that the players who have left haven't been playing, and are not likely to play unless there is a major injury crisis.

Allowing them out on loan keeps the squad happy, and players fit.

Best for all concerned and is not likely to damage our chances.

Indeed. We have a few irreplaceable star players. So do most teams.

I'm convinced that had we signed Amarty and Gray yesterday instead of earlier, half the people moaning (especially on Twitter) would be saying "some good deals there, shame we didn't get a striker but we've strengthened well."

As it is, there was no last day drama and some are utterly overreacting.

If Mahzrez gets injured, we're likely ****ed, same with Fuchs or Kante. You can't have equally proficient replacements for all in our position.

 

[Brown Nose]

I like De Laet as a person/player but not as a reliable right back.

He was at his best last season when playing the right side of three central defenders. He isn't really a right back in my opinion. Too often in the wrong place, too often caught out. Against Arsenal, Sanchez absolutely destroyed him and that, for Ranieri, was probably the moment he slid out of his plans.

I'll be interested to see how he gets on working under the intensely demanding defensive minded coaching of Karanka.

 

[Feriol]

I like De Laet as a person/player but not as a reliable right back.

He was at his best last season when playing the right side of three central defenders. He isn't really a right back in my opinion. Too often in the wrong place, too often caught out. Against Arsenal, Sanchez absolutely destroyed him and that, for Ranieri, was probably the moment he slid out of his plans.

I'll be interested to see how he gets on working under the intensely demanding defensive minded coaching of Karanka.

I think De Laet is good at what he does, he is an attacking player, and when he is picked it is an attacking decision not a defensive one. (I also think it looked even worse defensively playing behind Mahrez) Mahrez looks an even better attacker with Dr Laet than Simpson, as he gets crowded out with nobody on the overlap to draw a defenders attention.

He has been an important player in the style of football that made our great escape possible and has made a valuable contribution to the team we have become. I think somebody mentioned that he would qualify for a premier league winners medal? IF we were to win he would deserve it IMO.

We have outgrown him now, and I wish him well, there is a place for his style of full back (ala Roberto Carlos) and I think he will do well, but is no longer required here.