The ex-England striker believes that the best players on the market would rather join a big team who failed to qualify for the Champions League than even a triumphant Foxes side
Leicester City could find themselves in a relegation battle next season even if they win the Premier League title this term, warns Michael Owen.
The former England striker believes that top players would avoid signing for the Foxes in the summer, being more likely to join Manchester United or Liverpool even if they were to miss out on Champions League football, because of the possibility of a miracle turning into a disaster at the King Power Stadium.
Claudio Ranieri's side have an unexpected five-point lead at the top of the table with 13 games left, having been tipped for relegation by many last summer, but Owen would be wary of a slip back into trouble.
"[I'd go to] Manchester United or Liverpool, not in the Champions League, because Leicester, conceivably, could go down next year," he said on BT Sport. "They could win the league and they could still be in a relegation fight next year. They could!
"It depends on which way they go. They could invest all their Champions League money and take the risk and try to be a top club for years to come or they could pocket the money, maybe lose someone like [Riyad] Mahrez, and all of a sudden...
"Their team is not a Manchester United squad or a Liverpool squad, it's not, and they're having an unbelievable season - I sincerely hope they go and win it. But they could [go down next year]."
- Goal