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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE international forward, Admiral Muskwe, can now look ahead to the future with hope after he was given a contract extension by English Premiership side Leicester City.

Muskwe, who recently returned to the club from a loan stint with Championship side, Wycombe Wanderers, is among the 49 players on the retained list announced by the club at the weekend.

His contract was set to expire at the end of this month.

But, Leicester have indicated the 22-year-old still has future at the club where he is currently playing in the development side.

There have been concerns about his recurring injuries, but Muskwe, along with Under-23 teammate Josh Knight, were among the six players offered new contracts, on their return from loan stints.

The Leicester Mercury reported at the weekend the club released nine players.

“In total, six professionals have been offered new deals, with four signed. Defender Josh Knight, who this year was Players’ Player and Supporters’ Player of the Season at loan club Wycombe, is among those to agree new terms, along with striker Admiral Muskwe, who was also on loan at Adams Park,” said the report.

Leicester’s retained list showed that nine professionals have been released.

The championship-winning trio of Wes Morgan, Christian Fuchs and Matty James, and six youngsters, have been let go by the club.

Muskwe was among the lucky Foxes to be given new deals alongside Knight, Tyrese Shade and Kasey McAteer.

Goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic will apparently sign another one-year extension, to his contract, although Sam Hughes and Sidnei Tavares were thought to still be negotiating.

Muskwe returned to Leicester after having made 17 Championship appearances at Wycombe, and scoring three goals, which ensured a strong end to the campaign, for the club.

The side, however, could not survive the chop, after finishing one point away from safety.

The 22-year-old forward made a strong impact in Gareth Ainsworth’s hard-working side, since arriving in January, winning the Goal of the Season prize, for his strike at Swansea City.

Muskwe had also played eight games for Leicester’s Development Squad and scored on six occasions, in all competitions last season, before he was loaned out to the Wanderers.

He also spent the second half of the 2019/20 campaign on loan at Swindon Town, where he helped the Robins to promotion, into the third tier, making five appearances, in total.

“Alongside Knight, striker Muskwe showed he has potential at Championship level too, growing into a role at Adams Park and finishing with three goals to his name,’’ the Leicester Mercury reported.

“The 22-year-old has had his progress stunted by injuries over recent years, and that will likely be a factor as City assess his future.’’

Muskwe joined the Leicester City Academy, at the age of nine, and has represented the Foxes at Under-18s and Under-23s levels, as well as in the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament.

Another Zimbabwean at the club, Tawanda Maswanhise, has also been offered a new deal.

The Under-18 player had tongues wagging last month after he was selected for the FA Cup squad and went on to get a winners’ medal.

The 18-year old, who was born in England to Zimbabwean parents, has featured prominently in City’s Under-18 side.

Zimbabwe-born defender, Tivonge Rushesha, has been retained by Championship side, Swansea.

The rightback missed the last six months due to a serious knee injury and is expected back next season. He signed his first professional contract with the side in January last year.

He was also voted the club’s best emerging player in 2020 after winning the Under-23s’ Player of the Season.

Below is the list of retained Leicester City players:

Marc Albrighton, Daniel Amartey, Harvey Barnes, Filip Benkovic, Timothy Castagne, Kelechi Chibueze, Hamza Choudhury, Mitch Clark, Vontae Daley-Campbell, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jonny Evans, Oli Ewing, Shane Flynn, Wesley Fofana, Rachid Ghezzal, George Hirst, Sam Hughes (offer), Callum Hulme, Kelechi Iheanacho, Daniel Iversen, Eldin Jakupovic, James Justin, Josh Knight, Khanya Leshabela, James Maddison, Kasey McAteer, Papy Mendy, Admiral Muskwe, Wilfred Ndidi, Chituru Odunze, Josh Eppiah, Terrell Pennant, Ricardo Pereira, Ayoze Perez, Dennis Praet, Ali Reghba, Kasper Schmeichel, Tyrese Shade, Kamal Sowah, Caglar Soyuncu, Jakub Stolarczyk, Thanaway Suengchitthawon, Sidnei Tavares (offer), Luke Thomas, Youri Tielemans, Jamie Vardy, Jake Wakeling, Danny Ward, Callum Wright.