Tielemans announces departure from relegated Leicester City

LEICESTER, England (AP) — Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans announced Wednesday he will be leaving Leicester following the club's relegation from the Premier League.

The 26-year-old Tielemans, who joined from Monaco on loan in 2019 before signing a permanent deal, holds a special place in Leicester's history after scoring the winning goal in the 2021 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

He is out of contract this summer and will not be staying around to help Leicester return to the top division after its relegation, which came seven years after the team won the Premier League.

“From the first day I set foot on this ground, your warmth and passion embraced me," Tielemans said in a video on Instagram. "Victory and triumph, love, hope and even defeat, we’ve shared many special moments together.

“This is not a goodbye," he added, “but a heartfelt farewell.”

It could mark the start of an exodus of top players from Leicester, with James Maddison and Harvey Barnes also expected to leave.

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