Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand has hinted that Jannik Vestergaard will need to leave Leicester City this summer in order to secure a place in his squad for the 2022 World Cup.
The 29-year-old endured a tough first season with the Foxes following his £15m move from Southampton in August 2021, failing to play a single minute of the club's final 16 Premier League games of the 2021-22 campaign, and being absent from the bench for the last nine.
Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu, Daniel Amartey and Wesley Fofana were all used ahead of the Dane by Brendan Rodgers, and Vestergaard has received a hint from his national team manager that he will need to leave the King Power Stadium during the upcoming transfer window in order to guarantee his place in his World Cup squad at the end of the year.
Speaking ahead of Denmark's UEFA Nations League opener with France on Friday, Hjulmand did not mention any specific names when talking about his squad preparing for Qatar, but did say: "The next few days are spent talking to the players about it, about why there is a big responsibility for them individually in the autumn.
"Because we are not together, we need to be as sharp and prepared as possible. The responsibility rests with the players at home in their clubs until we meet in November.
"I do not have a formula because there is no formula for it. But playing time is important. There are some who have been out for so long that it certainly cannot happen again. When you have been out for so long, there can not be another six months where you do not play.
"It aggravates selection for me when we arrive in November. You have to be as sharp as possible. They're going to have to play.
"I never tell anyone they must change clubs. I've also seen people suddenly break through at their clubs. But I do say to those, there has to be regular playing time. It is extremely important for them if they are to have a chance to join."
Vestergaard and Denmark begin their Nations League Group A1 campaign at the Stade de France on Friday evening ahead of three other ties over the coming two weeks against Austria and Croatia.
Matthew Tranter
