Fuchs convinced by Rodgers to sign for final year with Leicester before potential New York move

Christian Fuchs says it was an easy decision to re-sign with Leicester for one more season while reiterating his desire to make his way to New York in the future.

Fuchs has been with Leicester since 2015 and was a key piece in the club's title-winning campaign that season as the Foxes stunned the world by claiming the Premier League crown.

The full-back's wife and children live in New York, and the Austrian says that he'd still like to play in the city someday.

But despite playing a bit-part role for the Foxes this season, Fuchs says a conversation with manager Brendan Rodgers convinced him to stay for one more season with a club that very much feels like home.

"It worked out in the best way. Brendan Rodgers right away spoke to me when he came in and he said he wants to keep working with me, so that means a lot, for the manager to want to work with you and have that trust and relationship," Fuchs told Goal ahead of a charity all-star game to commemorate the opening of Hudson Sports Complex in partnership with the charity Beautiful People.

"It was very convincing to me. He’s an amazing manager, great work from day one, and he gives the opportunity to, even at my age, learn some more.

"I want to keep playing, I definitely want to keep playing. It might be my last year over there, but you can never say never, especially in this sport, but as of right now, it's going to be my last season in England and then I want to come to New York and be with my family."

The 2018-19 season was one of the most difficult in the club's history due to the death of club owner and chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a tragic helicopter crash in October.

Fuchs says that tragedy changed him forever, but also provided a great example of the type of culture Srivaddhanaprabha built during his time at the club.

Getty Images

"It was very tough, very tough. It was not easy for everyone as a group. We were grieving for a long time. I never thought that something like that would touch my heart so much," he said.

"It was such a tough situation. It brought the group closer together, if you can put some sort of positive spin on it, and it helped, as crazy as it sounds, to have a greater spirit than was even there before."

He added: "Just before our last home game, Robert Huth was here to say hi. He was in the changing room just before the game. A lot of teams talk about how their club is very small, run like a family, but at this club former players are coming back all the time, in person, in private, before the games, and they’re always welcome.

"Older players from the 80s and 90s, they're included in the structure of the club because the club knows what they did for the team, so they’re also involved. That’s very special. They look after players, not just current players, but former players as well, and that’s very special."

Fuchs has run Fox Soccer Academy for the past six years, and will open Hudson Sports Complex on June 1 in Warwick, New York with a charity All-Star Game featuring the likes of Jamie Redknapp, Emile Heskey and Wes Morgan.

The defender has also run camps in England and Austria, and Fuchs says a transition into coaching youth has been a natural one as he looks to help guide players who were overlooked at a young age.

"It’s grown over the last few years, and for me it's important to be hands on , and I want to give those young players a possibility of someday making it as a professional," he said.

"You can’t rely on anything like that, but it’s my way. I was told that I wasn’t good enough when I was 11 or 12 years old, and I see a lot of players disappointed where they have the same issue and they’re told the same thing.

"I want to give them hope, give them good training, and maybe it works out for them. Maybe they can do something special."

Hudson Sports Complex will hold its grand opening on June 1 in Warwick, NY with a charity match to raise money for Beautiful People with all proceeds donated to help children with disabilities play adaptive sports. For more information visit hudsonsportscomplex.com and www.beautiful-people.us .