3 January Premier League transfers Leicester City should’ve hijacked

Finally, two transfers Leicester regrettably didn’t hijack – once of Liverpool, now a Bournemouth duo

Nathaniel Clyne, Liverpool – Bournemouth, loan:

Many neutrals were surprised to see Nathaniel Clyne loaned, not because he didn’t deserve game time and must have been particularly fed up on Merseyside. It was due to Liverpool being mildly devoid of competitive right-backs.

When more defensive mid-length injuries emerged and Jordan Henderson had to feature the right at the back, Jurgen Klopp most probably kicked himself. When the 27-year-old was regularly getting minutes for Liverpool, he produced form worthy of international recognition. Along with helping Bournemouth to clean sheets in half of his Premier League appearances this term.

Clyne would’ve been an excellent option at the King Power in competition with Ricardo Pereira or ultimately, and happily, advancing the Portuguese up the pitch.

Alas, we only have the non-attacking  Danny Simpson and an unsatisfactory but likeable Daniel Amartey waiting in the wings.

Dominic Solanke, Liverpool – Bournemouth, £19 million

Once again, let us make it clear that a target man is missing in the Leicester City squad. Well, actually Islam Slimani is still on the books, yet struggled everywhere he’s landed since leaving the East Midlands where he performed satisfactorily.

Dominic Solanke could’ve filled the gap of someone to meet those Marc Albrighton, Chilwell any Ricardo aerial deliveries, whilst beating a tough centre-back in the process. Naturally £19m is a rather huge amount to bet on a 21-year-old who’s not played consistent football in an elite league.

Yet the increasingly impressive and careful Cherries, who are vying with the Foxes for 7th, saw much in the starlet. Clinical with all England youth involvement and already a full international, barring seemingly being injury prone, Solanke may have been worth a punt.

Two extra choices whom the Foxes could have made bids for; more controversially due to their respective ages:

Jermain Defoe, Bournemouth – Glasgow Rangers, loan

Jermain Colin – yes, Colin – Defoe is a respected premiership goalscorer with an absolutely innate talent. At age-36 Steven Gerrard took the gamble on him and Defoe’s repaid the faith, netting three in four outings.

Albeit Defoe is now only playing in the Scottish top-flight, so technically he couldn’t be on the list proper. In England the former Tottenham Hotspur hitman scored 34 in the three most recent campaigns.

Peter Crouch, Stoke City – Burnley, undisclosed fee

Peter Crouch is a legendary English striker; synonymous with the target man moniker at six-foot-seven. In spite of his ageing, ‘Crouchy’ can still do on the big stage – assisting a goal as substitute, again, on his Burnley debut. In addition, Clarets boss Sean Dyche said they may increase the deal for another year; per Sky Sports.

Some will laugh at the prospect of City loaning in a player at age-38; but if the man can do a job amongst some floundering understudies, then why not obtain him if the wage expectancy isn’t astronomical. Not prolific like a veteran Kevin Phillips, but something still very much to offer in maturity and experience.

This coming summer 2019 will be a fascinating one for Leicester transfer observers. After making somewhat of a mess of recent windows, recruitment must do the club justice – as they did with Jamie Vardy, N’golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez; or even with big money additions like James Maddison.