Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has described Jonny Evans as the “natural successor” to late captain Kasper Schmeichel.
Schmeichel ended his 11-year stint with the Foxes earlier this week by joining Nice in Ligue 1 and Rodgers has named Northern Irish defender Evans as his new skipper.
Evans will wear the armband when the Foxes kick off their Premier League campaign at home to Brentford on Sunday.
Rodgers said at a press conference: “Jonny represents the collective standards and values of these players and what they stand for. He is a player with great experience.
“He has huge respect in the dressing room for what he has achieved and how he conducts himself on a day-to-day basis. He is the natural guy to step forward now that Kasper is gone.
Former Manchester United centre-half Evans has made over 100 league appearances for the Foxes since joining from West Brom for £3.5m in 2018.
Rodgers paid tribute to Schmeichel, who joined Leicester from Leeds in 2011, describing the Denmark international as “a true club icon”.
Schmeichel won the league title with the Foxes in 2014, the Premier League title in 2016 and both the FA Cup and Community Shield last year.
Rodgers said: “He’s a true icon for the club. He was very important for the club. On the field, a colossal player for the club, has been part of all the great successes of the last decade.
“He’s a very good guy off the pitch and I don’t say that lightly. His passion, his determination. Living with the name Schmeichel was going to be tough, but he made a name for himself.
“His serve was immense. I will miss him, he will be missed by the players. It’s a new adventure for him in the south of France and he’s really going to like it.
Rodgers has confirmed the club will not be looking to replace Schmeichel, with Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen now vying for the number one shirt.
Leicester are the only top-flight club not to make any new signings this summer and Rodgers has confirmed he does not expect to strengthen before the window closes, despite injuries to two key players.
Portugal defender Ricardo Pereira will be out for up to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles on Thursday and winger Harvey Barnes (knee) will be out “for a few weeks”.
Both players picked up their injuries in last week’s friendly win over Sevilla, while the Foxes will also be without Ryan Bertrand on Sunday as he continues to recover from a lengthy knee injury.
