Three alternative targets should Leicester City fail to sign Youri Tielemans
By Matt Taylor
The abundant lack of certainty surrounding Youri Tielemans’ permanent switch to Leicester City could lead to the club chasing other targets.
Last week, the English summer transfer window reopened, instigating the usual tirade of speculation surrounding your favourite players. Although, due to the stellar form of on-loan midfielder, Youri Tielemans, this particular window has a slightly different feel for Leicester City supporters.
Having already sampled the delights of watching the Belgian week in, week out, Foxes fans will be more anxious to complete this deal than one that brings in a player of unknown quality. They know how well he fits into Brendan Rodgers’ system. Therefore, he must be signed at all costs.
However, such hopes took a hit as the Telegraph reported that Leicester had cooled their interest in signing the £40 million-rated Tielemans. If the unthinkable does happen, and the 22-year-old’s loan move is not made permanent, there are other avenues to explore.
Erick Pulgar
Currently playing for Bologna in Calcio A, Pulgar offers a similar blend of creativity and tenacity that is present in Tielemans’ overall game. The Chilean international is also a box-to-box style midfielder, with six goals and three assists to his name this season.
The well-rounded nature of the 25-year-old midfielder is supported by his stats during an impressive 2018/19 campaign. An average of 2.1 key passes suggests that he has sufficient quality to dictate the tempo alongside James Maddison in Leicester’s midfield, while his defensive numbers are equally impressive.
With 2.3 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.5 aerial duels won, there is enough evidence to support Pulgar’s defensive credentials, statistics come via WhoScored.
TransferMarkt value the player at £4.5 million, but chances are he would cost significantly more than that. Unlike the other two names on this list, Pulgar is unproven in the Premier League. He is undoubtedly the biggest risk, but the Chilean certainly has the attributes to be a success at City.