3 Players Leicester City should try to sign in January
By Will Kennedy
James Tarkowski
A long-rumoured interest of Leicester City’s, James Tarkowski is another play whose contact is set to expire at the end of the season. The Burnley centre back has been imperious for his club ever since they returned to the Premier League and has defended resolutely.
It is no secret that the current crux of Leicester’s form is their defending. Injuries effected the early fixtures, but the silly and sloppy mistakes just haven’t been cut out yet. Add to that Jannik Vestergaard who has well and truly been dropped from the team.
Signing Tarkowski would be a dream for Foxes fans, he has played in over 170 games in the Premier League: he’s the very antithesis of experienced. Oh, and he has twice been capped by England.
Burnley are stereotyped by their stern and resolute defence, it has been a forefront of their survival under Sean Dyche. From his 171 Premier League appearances, he has kept 46 clean sheets and, whenever he hasn’t, he has always made it difficult to score past.
Tarkowski offers a long-term solution to eventually replacing Jonny Evans. Don’t worry, Evans isn’t leaving anytime soon, but as he grows older, Leicester will need another composed figure in the backline. Evans’ recent injury struggles also highlighted how much that assured leadership is missed when he isn’t in the side. At 29, Tarkowski still has his prime ahead of him, but is already an assured leader.
When Leicester had previously been linked to him, prices up to £40m and £60m were quoted. Currently, he is valued at £22.5m, but his expiring contract means that Burnley are only asking for around £18m for him in the winter – still a huge fee for the Lancashire outfit.
It has not yet been confirmed whether Tarkowski wants to leave his side yet, but the lack of contract extension would suggest so. Right now, Burnley sit 18th and are set for a tough relegation dogfight, Tarkowski may see himself as better than that level.
As for competition, it is yet again West Ham who are wanting the Englishman’s signing, but Leicester can’t let the opportunity of buying Tarkowski for such a low fee, pass them by. He is exactly the defensive answer that the Foxes need in their defence; get him.