The Turkish center-back leaves on a free transfer but with his reputation intact after nearly helping the club to survive over the final few weeks of the Premier League campaign

Caglar Soyuncu has saluted Leicester City supporters in an emotional farewell to the club.

The Turkish defender is officially no longer a City player after his contract came to an end on June 30. He is joining Atletico Madrid, with his free transfer to the Spanish giants due to be announced soon.

Soyuncu’s exit marks the end of a tumultuous five-year spell with City, and while it ended in disappointment on the pitch, his standing with supporters remains high. Out of favor under Brendan Rodgers, Soyuncu’s reputation rose the longer he was on the sidelines and the longer City underperformed, the center-back then returning under Dean Smith and producing some of the best individual displays of the season.

The Turk had difficult moments, not least as he struggled to adapt in his first year after arriving from Freiburg, and then in 2021-22, when he was tasked with leading City’s defense but became error-strewn. However, in 2019-20, he produced an excellent campaign, stepping up to replace Harry Maguire and earning a place in the Premier League team of the season, while he helped City win the FA Cup the following year.

With supporters standing by him this past season, they are the focus of his farewell message. He wrote on social media: “Dear Leicester fans, my family! Today, I am saying goodbye to the club that I consider home and where I have felt immense pride while wearing the shirt week in, and week out. Of course, saying goodbye is never easy. I arrived here as a kid, now I’m leaving as a man.

“It was an honor to wear our blue kit and fight for you. We experienced it all together, from the amazing times to the more difficult periods. But even during those bad times, I felt at home. And that’s completely thanks to you. Your chants, your support, and your trust made me the player I am today.