Leicester’s top flight promotion party is set for a nasty hangover as points deductions and player sales loom… but Enzo Maresca deserves huge credit for reviving their spirit

Even the sweetest champagne can cause a painful hangover and despite regaining Premier League status, Leicester City can all too quickly experience the morning after the night before.

A season that could end with 100 points and the championship title is cause for much celebration, but the problem is that the euphoria may not last too long.

In his first managerial job in English football, Enzo Maresca has delivered on the brief he accepted last summer and there will be a festive atmosphere in the final two games against Preston and Blackburn.

After promotion was confirmed on Friday by Leeds’ 4-0 defeat at QPR, there was an impromptu genuflection at Maresca’s home for several players and members of the Italian’s coaching staff.

Others gathered at Hamza Choudhury. Still reporting for training on Saturday, the squad and coaching team enjoyed a celebratory breakfast before starting the session.

The manager and some of his players celebrate their promotion after Leeds’ loss to QPR

The team enjoyed a festive breakfast before returning to training for the final matches

But the Foxes face a hefty points deduction after being accused of breaching spending rules, and that could have a significant impact on their Premier League campaign before it even starts.

In 2022-2023 they recorded losses of almost £90 million. When Leicester’s wage bill was comparable to the club’s turnover but did not produce Champions League football in 2020 and 2021, the damage had already been done.

Had they failed to gain promotion this season, a similar penalty could have been imposed in the Championship and the consequences of that are incalculable.

Leicester have seen the financial turmoil that has engulfed other Midlands clubs such as Derby and West Brom in recent seasons and an immediate return to the top should at least allow them to avoid such a scenario.

To reduce the chance of further punishment from the Premier League, players are likely to be sold this summer, with key midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall attracting interest from Brighton, Fulham and Brentford.

He is valued at around £30 million and as a homegrown player, the 25-year-old’s transfer fee could be added to the balance sheet as pure profit – crucial to staying within profitability and sustainability rules. Fellow youth products such as Choudhury, Sammy Braybrooke and Ben Nelson could also raise crucial funds if they were sold, just as it would upset supporters if local boys were to leave.

High earners such as Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi will probably leave on a free transfer. Leicester are keen to keep Jannik Vestergaard and Jamie Vardy, but both may have to accept lower terms. However, there is cautious optimism that Vardy, arguably the greatest player in the club’s history, will extend his stay beyond his 38th birthday.

Vardy has no plans to retire and believes he can continue beyond the age of 40. Supporters have planned a tribute to the striker during the final match of the season, at home to Blackburn, on May 4.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could be sold in the summer to help reduce the financial penalties

Leicester legend Jamie Vardy may have to accept lower terms on a new contract

Although his powers are waning, Vardy has scored 18 goals in 35 games this season and his presence alone makes him worth keeping.

With long-serving Marc Albrighton set to part ways with the club this summer, Vardy will be the sole survivor of that remarkable 2016 Premier League title triumph.

Maresca deserves a lot of credit for promotion. His dedication to ‘the idea’ – the style of football pioneered by the Dutch in the 1970s and perpetuated by Pep Guardiola – can sometimes sound a bit pompous, but it hasn’t been easy for Guardiola’s former assistant.

Although Leicester may have had the best players and the highest wage bill in the Championship, the mentality of the side relegated from the Premier League was extremely weak. Team spirit had dropped to such an extent that players barely spent any time together at the club’s vast training base, with communal areas remaining unused.

When Maresca arrived, he told the team to forget their Premier League past. Players who had wanted to leave, such as Vestergaard and Ndidi, knocked on Maresca’s door to say they had changed their minds and wanted to be part of it. Both have been crucial to this season’s triumph.

As Leicester faltered, cutting their 14-point lead to one in third place, supporters’ frustration at the slow, micro-managed passing game grew louder. Ultimately it was Leeds who lost their nerve and form and Leicester were able to get over the line, but the hard work starts now.

Maresca believes ‘the idea’ will leave Leicester better equipped to take on the Premier League, even if they may have to make adjustments with little purchasing power. Top attackers will line up to meet a defensive line as fast as Vestergaard and Wout Faes.

As much as it goes against Maresca’s principles, Leicester are hugely effective on the counter-attack, thanks to the pace of Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu and the astute passing of Ricardo Pereira and Harry Winks.

Guardiola may have taken broadly the same approach throughout his career, but he has always worked with many of the best players in the world. Most of his colleagues do not have that luxury and must use their resources accordingly. Will Maresca be cute enough to realize that?

Leicester insiders believe this season’s setbacks will stand the team in good stead for what comes next.

The players have suffered adversity this season that could help them in their return to the Premier League next season

The manager deserves a lot of credit for the Foxes’ promotion and the way he achieved it

However, there are still many uncertainties heading into the summer and clear communication is crucial. Two years ago boss Brendan Rodgers thought he would have the money to renew his squad, but was told at the start of pre-season that they were not available after all.

That tension with the club’s ownership cast a shadow over the entire season and to avoid a recurrence, Leicester must be honest with Maresca on financial matters.

Just as the Italian manager must learn from his mistakes this season, the management team must also learn from theirs in 2022.

If they don’t, the luster of this season’s performance will quickly fade.