<
>

Chelsea have not bid for Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel - Claude Puel

Leicester City have not received any bids for goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, amid reported interest from Chelsea, according to Foxes manager Claude Puel.

Chelsea are likely to require a new first-choice goalkeeper this summer, as current No. 1 Thibaut Courtois has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid. Schmeichel is one of the frontrunners to replace the Belgian should he leave -- and speculation intensified further when Leicester signed Danny Ward from Liverpool for £12.5 million.

However, Puel insists there have been no offers for Schmeichel at this point.

"No, there is no problem with this," the Frenchman told Sky Sports. "There is a lot of speculation at this moment, it is normal.

"I think he [Ward] can bring more competition to the squad and more possibilities. It is a good thing to have competition between players in the squad to develop desire.

"It gives good focus and concentration."

Puel also says he is determined to keep hold of the Dane -- and insists he remains calm about the situation.

"I am not troubled about this," Puel added. "Of course Kasper is a very important player for us. He had a very strong World Cup.

"We need Kasper, with his character, his performance and his consistency."