Ghana captain Jordan Ayew leaves Leicester City after Championship relegation

Ghana captain Jordan Ayew is expected to leave Leicester City this summer after the club confirmed he is part of a group of 10 senior players who will depart following their relegation to League One.

The experienced forward only joined Leicester in August 2024, arriving from Crystal Palace in a deal worth around £5 million, which could increase to £8 million depending on performance-related add-ons. He was brought in shortly after the club secured promotion to the Premier League, with his experience seen as a key asset for their top-flight campaign.

However, Leicester’s return to the Premier League proved short-lived, and the club’s drop to League One has triggered a major restructuring of the squad, with several established players now set to move on as part of a cost-cutting and rebuilding plan.

Ayew was a regular presence throughout the 2025/26 season, making 42 appearances and scoring six goals. While his output added value to the team, it was not enough to prevent a difficult campaign that ended in relegation.

Before his time at Leicester, the 34-year-old enjoyed a long and productive spell at Crystal Palace, where he made over 200 appearances across six seasons. His career in England also includes stints at Swansea City and Aston Villa, alongside earlier years at Olympique Marseille in France.

With more than 500 club appearances and over 100 career goals to his name, Ayew remains one of Ghana’s most experienced and reliable footballers of his generation.

The forward will now turn his focus to international duty, as Ghana continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

He is widely expected to captain the Black Stars at the tournament, where Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Panama.

As one of the senior figures in the squad, Ayew’s leadership and experience are expected to play an important role as Ghana aim to progress beyond the group stage and compete strongly on the world stage.