‘Leicester 10th next season’

Leicester have completed the most remarkable of achievements by winning the Premier League, but how will the newly-crowned champions fare next season?

Claudio Ranieri’s men have made a mockery of most pundits’ predictions, with plenty expecting another relegation scrap, while few last August were tipping them to lift the trophy.

The bookmakers certainly didn’t, with Sky Bet offering odds of 5,000/1, resulting in their greatest-ever outright pay-out of £4.6m.

We asked the Soccer Saturday pundits, Paul Merson, Charlie Nicholas, Matt Le Tissier and Phil Thompson, how they think Leicester will do in 2016/17 as defending Premier League champions.

Paul Merson – “I think they’ll finish 10th”

If they finish in the top six next year, I’ll be flabbergasted. I think they’ll finish 10th.

What they’ve done is unbelievable, every one of these players has worked their socks off, every single day of the week, every week.

But they’re in the Champions League next year as well, so there’s eight league games when they’ll be more concentrated on that, in my opinion. It’s pointless getting into the Champions League then playing your best team in the Premier League on Saturday, then Tuesday you’re going wherever and getting beaten.

That’s no disrespect, they’ve won the league but I’d be shocked if they finished above mid-table next year. Even if it’s 17th, it wouldn’t be too bad!

The Champions League is going to be such an experience for them, but it will be hard. It’s a massive ask, but I have to wait and see the group before judging how they’ll do. To get a result away in the Champions League is very difficult whoever you are, but they won’t be the worst team in it, no chance.

I don’t know who they can bring in. They’re going to have to use all of Ranieri’s …

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