Leicester in for experienced defender; offered youthful alternative

Leicester are reportedly in hot pursuit of Serie A veteran Nicolas Nkoulou, but Torino have offered Brazilian U-23 international Lyanco as an alternative.

With Leicester City’s Europa League campaign just over the horizon, it’s no surprise that Brendan Rodgers is looking to bolster his squad for the coming season. Leicester’s options at the centre of defence are admittedly shallow, and with Wes Morgan likely transitioning towards a coaching role at the club, they’re fast becoming slimmer.

Step forward Nicolas Nkoulou, a 30-year-old Cameroon international currently plying his trade for Torino in the Serie A. Comfortable on the ball and an excellent reader of the game, Nkoulou would prove a worthy fit for the Foxes.

Rating Leicester City transfer target

The centre-back was Torino’s player of the season in 2017-18 and would also provide vital European experience to Leicester, with stints in both the Champions League and Europa League with Marseille and Lyon respectively. With the prospect of European football and an increase on his £25,000 a week wages, Leicester City certainly possess the necessary pull to attract the Cameroonian to the East Midlands.

However, Torino seem unwilling to sell such an integral part of their defence, and have instead offered Brazilian U-23 international Lyanco. The Brazilian signed from São Paulo in 2017 but has since struggled for game time at Torino, making only 23 appearances for La Granata and spending the latter half of the 2018-19 season on loan at Bologna.

Although he’s failed to set the world alight in Italy, Lyanco showed great promise in his native Brazil and is still only 23, and so might be worth a punt for his mere £9 million price tag. The U-23 international could also prove valuable depth for the East Midlands side which struggled with injuries last season, as he is able to operate at centre-back, left-back, and even holding midfield.

With the versatile Timothy Castagne reportedly already on his way to the King Power from Italy, Rodgers might be grateful for even more flexible cover when fixture congestion starts to hit hard.

Of the two, Nkoulou is undoubtably Leicester’s preference but City will be hard-pressed to convince Torino into selling. In my opinion, they should throw all they have at Nkoulou as the Cameroonian seems the perfect fit for the East Midlands club given his experience and synergies with Rodgers’ brand of football.

On the other hand, with Lyanco seemingly surplus to requirements at Torino, I’m confident Leicester City could get a deal across the line for the centre-back. Although a riskier addition, Lyanco could prove a shrewd bargain for the King Power outfit: if his defensive qualities are reignited, he could form a formidable long-term centre-back partnership with the already fearsome Çağlar Söyüncü. Both players seem sound options for the Foxes, but with the transfer window slowly drawing to a close, Leicester would do well to secure the services of either man.