Foxes in the market: Leicester City won’t move for £10m man

Leicester City are set to pass on the chance to sign Middlesbrough’s £10m man Gaston Ramirez, as reported by the Leicester Mercury.

The Foxes had a bid turned down earlier in the January transfer window, as Boro’s reluctance to sell emerged triumphant, despite the wantaway Uruguayan’s transfer plea. However, having somehow kept hold of Ramirez, Middlesbrough are now on the look for potential suitors for the 26-year old after his largely unprofessional behaviour. Shall there be no buyer, there’s every chance of Gaston Ramirez warming the bench at the Riverside Stadium.

While the former Southampton player’s attitude towards his club didn’t put off Leicester City in their pursuit, it seems that the availability of better players, albeit for a much higher price, has meant that Craig Shakespeare now considers Ramirez as a back-up option, the chief target now being Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson.

City would reportedly have to offer as much as £40 million for Swansea’s star man, who registered the second highest number of assists in the Premier League while playing with a shambolic side for a majority of the season. The Iceland international is undoubtedly the kind of player that would fit right into the side, but the problem could be both the price as well as the clubs they’ll have to compete with.

Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, the latter being ruthless in the transfer window so far, are both after the 27-year old, with Swansea City still eager to keep hold of arguably their greatest ever player. Also, any chance of a move for either Gaston Ramirez or Gylfi Sigurdsson would depend largely on Riyad Mahrez’s sale.

The Algerian has already bid farewell to his club, but there’s a problem: Leicester City are yet to receive a bid for the 2016 Player of the Year. Arsenal continue to be the favourites to land him, though their bids for Thomas Lemar and Alexandre Lacazette are pointing towards the interest being elsewhere.