‘I feel BETRAYED by Claudio Ranieri’ – Leonardo Ulloa goes on strike as Leicester reject £7m Sunderland bid

Leonardo Ulloa has insisted he will not play for Leicester again after they rejected a £7million bid from Sunderland.

The striker has apologised to fans but has said he feels “betrayed” by Foxes manager Claudio Ranieri, and wants to feel like a footballer again after two season largely spent on the bench.

The 30-year-old Argentine has been widely linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium this month, but Ranieri has continually insisted he did not want to sell him.

Ulloa handed in a written transfer request earlier in January in an attempt to force through a move away, but the club have turned down several approaches, including a loan enquiry from Galatasaray and a £1.7m bid from LaLiga club Alaves.

Even a £7m offer from the Black Cats was not enough to test the Italian manager’s resolve and it now seems that Ulloa will remain at the club, but away from the first-team squad, after vowing never to play for the Foxes again.

The striker shared his thoughts in a series of posts on Twitter on Monday:

Asked about Ulloa’s current situation at the club, Leicester boss Ranieri told a press conference on Monday: "I know he is very, very anxious but we don't change our mind.

"For us it's important. We don't want to sell him. Also I don't want to because I have just [Islam] Slimani as a target man and I need another target man.

"I want Leo here and I hope he can be calm and understand my position. Of course he's not happy and I understand him.

"The club know my idea very well and also Leo knows very well my idea. He is a fantastic player, a fantastic man and I believe in him."