Leicester City have suffered a setback in their recruitment plans after their attempt to sign Mexican international Emilio Lara was rejected by Club América.
According to Mexican journalist Martín del Palacio, the Foxes made a loan offer for the 23-year-old defender, who spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Necaxa. Despite Leicester viewing Lara as a strong opportunity to reinforce their defensive options, Club América have opted to send him back to Necaxa for another season.
Lara, who made his senior debut for América in November 2021, had impressed enough during his first spell at Necaxa to earn a second loan, with the Liga MX side confirming the extension on 2 July.
En realidad si puedo decir algo más de la razón del rechazo en este tweet. Una de las causas es que, a cambio, Necaxa renovará con Televisa sus derechos de transmisión. Hay otra razón más fuerte, que es la que va en otro tweet, pero esto influyó. No te acabes nunca LigaMX jaja.
— Martín del Palacio (@martindelp) July 9, 2025
The decision to keep Lara in Mexico is believed to be linked to broadcasting rights. Club América, owned by media company Televisa, reportedly favoured Necaxa because of the club’s association with the same network, which is set to renew its broadcasting deal.
Del Palacio described Leicester’s interest as a “great opportunity” for the player, but acknowledged that América’s commercial priorities had taken precedence.
Lara has already earned senior caps for Mexico and was part of the national under-17 side that won the 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship and finished as runners-up at the U-17 World Cup later that year. He made 26 appearances for Necaxa last season and remains on the radar of European scouts, thanks to his combination of athleticism, height, and international pedigree.
For Leicester, it’s a frustrating outcome in a summer where they are looking to reshape their squad under new leadership. Having narrowly missed out on automatic promotion last season, the Foxes are expected to be active in the market—but this particular move has ended in disappointment.
Writer’s View
This is a frustrating miss for Leicester City. Emilio Lara represents the type of profile the club has targeted in recent years—young, internationally capped, and with room for growth. The rejection may not be purely about footballing reasons, but rather the commercial realities of Mexican football and Club América’s connection to Televisa.
Still, it highlights the challenges Championship sides face when trying to compete with well-connected domestic options in foreign markets. Expect Leicester to move quickly for alternatives, but Lara would have been a smart addition with long-term value and immediate potential.
