Leicester City creates space, 28‑year‑old Faes chooses Arab club

Leicester City must, after the relegation to League One, restructure their wage budget. The 28‑year‑old Belgian defender Wout Faes, who has played more than one hundred and thirty matches for the Foxes over the past four years, has signed a multi‑year contract with Shabab Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, giving the club finally some space.

Financial pressure forces Leicester to act

After two successive relegations from the Premier League to the Championship and now to League One, the Foxes are looking for ways to cut their high wage bill. The club had already been searching over the summer for a solution for the Belgian, who according to Transfermarkt has a market value of ten million euros. Removing one_translated one of their highest earners fits into the plan to reduce the salary budget.

Faes has not been part of the Belgian national team for some time. National team coach Mark van Bommel left him out of the squad for the current Nations League matches, making the player even less attractive to Leicester.

In the United Arab Emirates the transfer deadline runs until 28 September. Shabab Al Ahli has taken advantage of that date and is signing Faes from Leicester City, reports transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

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Details of the move to Shabab Al Ahli

According to reports, Faes has signed a three‑year contract with the Dubai club. The exact transfer fee is not disclosed, but the United Arab Emirates club has made a payment to Leicester.

The defender was loaned to AS Monaco in January, but that arrangement did not continue. Earlier he was on the verge of moving to West Ham on deadline day, but that transfer fell through.

This season he initially did not make the matchday squad, until he suddenly appeared in the selection just before the international break. That turned out to be his last appearance for Leicester.

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Faes has previously played in the Netherlands for Excelsior and SC Heerenveen, and has 28 caps for Belgium to his name. With the move Leicester finally parts with one of their biggest salaries, while the Belgian finds a new challenge at the Arab club.