Leicester City defender Wout Faes could yet find a post-window exit route after his deadline day move to West Ham United collapsed. The Belgium international, 28, returned to the King Power Stadium after the deal fell through, but the transfer window remains open for Belgian Pro League side OH Leuven.
According to a report from The72, journalist Mike McGrath stated that "the Belgium international could yet find an escape route with OH Leuven." The two clubs share owners, which could facilitate a compromise to get the centre-back playing football again. Faes has been left out of all Leicester matchday squads so far this campaign as the Foxes, currently 13th in League One with five points from four games, look to build a squad for an immediate Championship return.
What happened with the West Ham move?
West Ham had agreed a three-year deal to sign Wout Faes on deadline day. The move was advanced but the Premier League club ultimately opted against finalising it. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo instead recruited Morato on an initial loan from Nottingham Forest and promoted youngsters Ezra Mayers and Airidias Golambeckis. This left Faes in limbo, having spent last season on loan at AS Monaco following Leicester's relegation.
The Foxes were active in sanctioning both incomings and outgoings on deadline day themselves, reshaping their group for the League One promotion push. Their focus is now on the next fixture, a home match against Oxford United on September 5th. You can view the full schedule on our fixtures page.
Why is a move to OH Leuven possible?
The key factor is the differing closure dates of the transfer windows. While the English window shut on September IIst, the Belgian Pro League market remains open. This provides a unique opportunity for Leicester City to offload a player who is not in their plans. OH Leuven and Leicester share ownership under King Power, creating a natural pathway for a transfer. There is reported willingness from all sides to compromise and ensure a move is completed.
For Faes, the priority is regular minutes. He needs to go elsewhere to revive his career, especially with his international ambitions for Belgium. A switch to Leuven would offer him a competitive platform immediately.
Where does this leave Leicester City?
Leicester's immediate concern is their on-field form as they adapt to life in the third tier. The team has a goal difference of +1, having scored four and conceded three in their opening four matches. They sit five points behind early leaders Huddersfield Town. The exclusion of Faes indicates he is not part of the manager's core plans for this campaign.
His potential departure would free up resources and squad space as the club continues its rebuild. Fans can track the team's progress in the standings and review player contributions on our stats page. The next test is against 15th-placed Oxford United at the King Power this Saturday.
