The Turkish center-back has made just one Premier League start this season but may be overlooked this weekend, even with Wout Faes suspended and Jonny Evans doubtful
The door remains open for Caglar Soyuncu to regain his Leicester City place – but only if he trains to an acceptable level.
The Turkish defender has fallen dramatically out of contention this season, making just one Premier League start. With City the only side who haven’t kept a clean sheet since the World Cup, and with Wout Faes suspended for this weekend’s trip to Brentford, a section of supporters have been hoping Soyuncu gets another opportunity.
But even with Jonny Evans a doubt, that seems unlikely. Daniel Amartey would be a favorite to come in alongside Harry Souttar. Rodgers said it’s not the case that Soyuncu has been shut out, but just that any player in his Premier League line-up needs to be training “at the highest level”, hinting that the 26-year-old has fallen below those standards.
The manager feels that Soyuncu may have expected a move away from City at the end of last season, suggesting that could be a factor in his performance at Seagrave. He is now into the final few months of his contract at the club and is expected to leave on a free transfer in the summer.
Asked if there was a route back into the side for Soyuncu, Rodgers said: “Yes, by training at the highest level. It’s been a really difficult one for him because I think he probably thought his future is away from here.
“Everything about him in terms of his behavior and everything else has been fine but I’ve sensed that he thought he was moving on. I judge in training because you can’t be switched off from training and think you can just come back into the Premier League. It just doesn’t happen.
“It was for those same reasons that I put him on the team. When I first came in he wasn’t in the squad but I could see that desire, commitment, and quality in training, so when we lost Harry (Maguire) and the talk was about who we were going to get in, I had seen him in training and thought this guy deserves a chance.
“He came in and in that first season, he was excellent. But like I’ve said before, it’s about consistency in performance and mentality. He’s a great guy who has slipped from his level for a number of reasons.
“Any player if they’re performing to a level in training, will always get the opportunity. If not, it’s very difficult. You can’t just click your fingers, not train well and not be at your best level and then be thrown into a Premier League game.”
As well as the Premier League loss to Manchester City, Soyuncu’s other starts this season have been in the cup ties against Stockport and Gillingham. His most recent appearance was as a substitute for the final few minutes of the win over Aston Villa last month.
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