Wesley Fofana was not "in the right frame of mind" to play for Leicester City in the 2-1 defeat by Southampton, says Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers.
He watched from the stands as his side lost their second game in a row.
"He's just a young player who is not quite in the right frame of mind at the moment to play," said Rodgers.
"There's a lot going on behind the scenes, which I understand. It's a difficult moment for him. He's a good kid, he's been great for us whilst he's been here."
Fofana joined Leicester from Saint-Etienne in 2020 and has played 52 games for the club - although he missed most of last season with a broken leg.