Harry Winks says he still has “great respect” for Leicester City despite leaving the club to join Cagliari on a permanent deal in July.

Leicester City suffered successive relegations from the Premier League to the Championship and then to League One, with Winks saying the decline could not be attributed to a single issue.

Speaking to DAZN at Cagliari’s Serie A Media Day, Winks described Leicester as “a fantastic club” and said he hopes to see the Foxes return to their former level.

What Harry Winks Said About Leicester City's Double Relegation

Winks was asked about Leicester’s relegation from the Championship to League One, which followed their drop from the Premier League the previous season.

“It’s difficult to explain Leicester’s double relegation,” he said. “There are many problems that can lead to such a situation; I don’t think there’s just one thing. But it’s a fantastic club.”

He added: “Leicester is a club with which I have great memories, one that I respect greatly, and I hope it can return to where it deserves to be.”

Winks did not attribute Leicester’s decline to a single cause. Leicester were handed a six-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules for the three-year period ending in June 2024. The deduction was upheld on appeal in April 2026.

Why Harry Winks' Final Months at Leicester Were Difficult

Winks joined Leicester from Tottenham Hotspur in July 2023 and helped the Foxes win the Championship under Enzo Maresca in the 2023-24 season. He made 109 appearances for Leicester, scoring five goals.

Winks' final period at Leicester included spells out of the starting XI under different managers.

He was dropped late in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign under Ruud van Nistelrooy, then omitted by Marti Cifuentes during the following Championship season before returning to the side under Gary Rowett.

Tensions with supporters became visible late in the 2025-26 campaign. After Leicester's 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth on 18 April 2026, Winks was involved in a reported heated exchange with a supporter as the team prepared to leave.

Three days later, Leicester's 2-2 draw with Hull City confirmed their relegation to League One. Winks was booed by some supporters when he came on as a second-half substitute.

Cagliari announced Winks’ permanent signing on 15 July 2026. The Italian club said he had signed a contract until 30 June 2028. The transfer fee was not disclosed.

Winks Returns To Serie A With Cagliari

Winks’ move to Cagliari marks his return to Italian football after spending the 2022-23 season on loan at Sampdoria. The club was relegated from Serie A that season, but Winks said he enjoyed his time in Italy.

“I returned to Italy after three years, after playing for Sampdoria, because my experience in Genoa was difficult,” he told DAZN. “We lost a lot of games, but I really enjoyed my time in Serie A.”

Winks has also praised Cagliari’s supporters and the welcome he has received since joining the club. He spoke positively about head coach Fabio Pisacane’s understanding of the game.

He also reflected on Claudio Ranieri, who guided Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2015-16 before later managing Cagliari.

“I know how much Ranieri is respected at Leicester: what he’s done for Leicester is incredible, as is what he’s done here at Cagliari,” Winks said.