Leicester City captain Wes Morgan has signed a new one-year contract extension with the Football Club to June 2020.
The 35-year-old, who made his 700th appearance in club football against Burnley on Saturday, has been an assured presence for the Foxes this season and will now continue his Leicester City journey into a ninth campaign.
Morgan joined Leicester City from Nottingham Forest in January 2012 and has been a cornerstone of the Club’s success ever since – lifting the Championship title, the Premier League title and playing in the UEFA Champions League during that time.
Wes has made a total of 22 appearances for Leicester City this season and continues to be an integral figure both on and off the field, as the Football Club continues to build towards an exciting future in a new world-class training facility next summer.
The captain’s continued leadership and importance on the pitch was underlined at the weekend as he came off the bench in the fourth minute to guide the 10-men of Leicester to a 2-1 win. It was their third victory in four games and came courtesy of a stoppage time header from Morgan himself.
Speaking after signing a new deal, Morgan said: “It means a lot to me. We’ve been through so many ups and downs together as a Football Club, and I’ve been right at the heart of it from the very beginning, so to extend my time here means very much to me and I’m very happy.
“I can see a very, very bright future for Leicester City. We’ve got a lot of young players who have so much potential and even the current players we’ve got, we’ve got so much experience, we’ve been through it all and we can help the younger players to achieve their full potential.
“It’s all about not being individuals, it’s all about everyone collectively chipping in, doing their part, to help the greater cause, which is making Leicester City successful.”
The influential Morgan has made a total of 292 appearances for the Foxes since his January 2012 switch from Nottingham Forest, scoring 13 goals in that time.
Those strikes have invariably come at timely moments – including the goal that essentially sealed the title against Manchester United in 2016 and the opening goal on a famous night at King Power Stadium against Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League.
Powerful, inspirational and committed, Morgan’s time at Leicester City has seen him become the bedrock of a team that he has led into what has been uncharted territory for the Football Club, as the team lifted the Premier League title and reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Morgan remains one of just three outfield players to have played every minute of a title-winning season and has represented Jamaica in the Copa America against some of the world’s greatest teams – a remarkable achievement for a player who didn’t make his Premier League debut until the age of 30.
In a career that has spanned the top four divisions, Morgan’s performances have seen him recognised in the Football League’s Team of the Decade, the Championship Team of the Year three times, as well as the PFA Team of the Year in 2015/16.
After being released by Notts County at the age of 15 at the start of his career, Morgan found a route back into football with East Midlands side Nottingham Forest and went on to make his professional debut on loan to Kidderminster Harriers in March 2003.
The future Foxes captain would go on to establish himself as one of the Football League’s most commanding defenders across more than 400 appearances for Forest, before the Foxes eventually secured his services midway through the 2011/12 campaign.
With Leicester City, Morgan has built a legacy that stands him out as one of the Club’s greatest-ever players and captains. Widely respected and revered by staff, players and supporters alike, Morgan’s leadership has been one of the key factors in Leicester City’s success under the ownership of King Power – something that will now continue into the future.
