Claudio Ranieri was disappointed to see N'Golo Kante "push" his way out of Leicester City but is sure that Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club.
The Premier League champions lost the French midfielder as he completed a £30 million move to Chelsea on Saturday and speculation about Mahrez's future has continued for months.
Leicester were able to hold off interest from Arsenal to extend Jamie Vardy's contract, while Wes Morgan signed a new deal on Tuesday.
Ranieri says that the club did all they could to convince Kante to stay as well but the Italian does not believe that Mahrez will follow him to the exit at the King Power Stadium.
"I am confident Mahrez will stay," Ranieri said. "I can wish only the best for Kante.
"I said at the beginning that I wanted to keep all my players but he pushed and said he wanted to go; I prefer not to keep because there were two or three teams and we couldn't keep him.
"We tried to keep him but he wanted to go. It is okay for us. Last season, [Esteban] Cambiasso went and now it is Kante."
Leicester signed Nampalys Mendy from Nice this summer but the manager does not see him as a direct replacement for Kante.
"Mendy is not the same, just plays in the same position," he added.
"At this moment I am very happy with all the squad. Wes Morgan has signed a new contract and I am very pleased because now, slowly, slowly, all the others will sign a new contract."
- Goal