Will Smallburn: I'm very happy to join Leicester City and can't wait to start the new season.

Will Smallburn officially signed a three-year contract with Leicester City this week and is ready to embrace the new challenges of joining the team. The Republic of Ireland international previously spent 18 years at Southampton, coming through the club's youth academy and eventually making 90 first-team appearances.  

This summer, Will Smallburn bid farewell to St. Mary's Stadium, where he had served for many years. Last season, he was loaned from Southampton to Championship side Millwall, but injuries limited his playing time. After completing his transfer, Will Smallburn is gradually integrating into his new environment at Leicester City and will soon be reporting to the team's training ground.  

In his first interview, Will Smallburn said, "It feels great right now. I've been preparing for this for a long time. I'm very happy to be here now and I can't wait for the new season."  

“This has been a completely different experience, as it is my first time leaving Southampton permanently. I am very excited to be joining a club like Leicester and I am happy to officially become a member of the team. One of the most important things for me this season is to regain regular playing time, especially since I was sidelined with injuries for a long period last season. I have been looking for a new team and hope to get back into the rhythm of the game as soon as possible, and I hope that Leicester can be the right place for me to start over.”  

After joining Leicester City, Will Smallburn will reunite with his former mentor, Russell Martin, whose presence was a key factor in his decision to join the team. The two helped Southampton achieve promotion in 2024, and now they will play side-by-side again at Leicester City. Smallburn believes that his prior familiarity with Martin's tactical requirements will allow him to integrate into the team more quickly.  

He continued, "I had a very pleasant time working with the manager at Southampton. I had a great season under his leadership, and I'm really looking forward to working with him again. Hopefully, it won't take too long for me to readjust to his tactical system, since I've played in that system for a long time before, and I'm looking forward to returning to a familiar way of playing."  

“There are some players on the team that I already know. I’ve had contact with some of them during my professional career, and even played against them on the field. I believe this familiarity will help me integrate into the new team more quickly.”  

Before joining the King Power Stadium, Will Smallburn played in the top two tiers of English football and gained experience playing for the national team. Now starting his career at Leicester City, he hopes to do his best in the new season to help the team achieve its goals.  

Will Smallburn added: "Looking at the team as a whole, it's a relatively young team with players of different ages. I hope to bring my experience to the team and help the club get back to where it belongs."  

“I’ve been following the team’s games closely. There were some ups and downs at the beginning of the season, but we also showed a lot of commendable aspects. I can see that the team’s current playing system is effective, and as long as everyone can truly gel, I believe we will have a very competitive season. Without a doubt, our goal is to get back to the Championship as soon as possible, and that’s everyone’s goal, including mine.”  

Image source: Internet/Leicester City official website