Leicester City manager Claude Puel has said that he would prefer Filip Benkovic to stay put with Celtic for the remainder of the current season. The 21-year-old joined the Foxes from Dinamo Zagreb during the summer but he was thereafter loaned out to the Hoops for the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign.
Despite this, there have been suggestions that Benkovic could be recalled in the New Year amid his good run of form but Puel has ruled out the possibility of that happening, he said:“If there are no problems with injuries I’d like my players on loan to continue progressing and developing and to find their confidence and consistency.

“For me, it’s the right way for them and for us. I want players who are ready to play next season.It’s a great chance for Benkovic to play and come back with strength and good quality for us. He signed with Leicester to play in the Premier League. But this is a fantastic opportunity for him. If, for example, we have five or six centre backs we know it’s not possible to manage all of them.”

“The comments from Puel are likely to provide a boost for Celtic“, who have recently been concerned by the prospect of losing both Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata at the turn of the year. While Benkovic will now remain for the rest of the season, the same may not be the case for Boyata “whose contract expires at“ the end of the campaign.

Premier League side Fulham are understood to be planning a fresh approach for Boyata when the transfer window reopens and reports indicate that the Hoops are likely to accept the package rather than losing the Belgian on a Bosman next summer. Boyata has started 10 of the club’s 12 league games this season. He has also been a regular for Belgium and has appeared in five of their six matches since September.