After 15 games played in the Premier League, Leicester City currently sit 11th in the table. They have lost more than they have won this season (won 5, lost 6) and haven’t kept a clean sheet since the opening fixture against Wolves. Simply put, their season needs fixing.
If their poor form continues, Leicester will finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time since their dreadful title defence in 2016/17 – finishing 12th. At the moment, it’s not a case of saving their season – I feel as though that term would only really be used if they looked like they could get relegated and, whilst it isn’t exactly fun right now at Leicester, it hasn’t got to that point.
So, what can be done to fix the squad and the morale of supporters? Drop zonal marking? Have frank honesty from the players? Sign Tielemans to a new 30-year deal? All valid suggestions, but here, FoL will be looking at something a little different, but equally as exciting: the January transfer window.
Recently, transfer speculation has risen up a notch. As the market comes closer to opening again, we’ve even seen a few players linked with a move to the King Power, including a £20m wonderkid, and Barcelona B’s promising captain. These moves would be good, but they aren’t the transfers that get fans really excited.
Today I’ll be looking at three big name transfers that Leicester should pursue in the upcoming window. If one, two or even all three of these moves happened, it would improve every area that Leicester need and would get supporters truly excited.
So, without further ado, here are the three players that Leicester City should sign in January.
Jesse Lingard is right for Leicester City
Jesse Lingard is the biggest name that is guaranteed to be available in January and would no doubt improve the Foxes squad. The 28-year-old England international was unstoppable during his loan stint with West Ham in 2020/21, scoring 9 goals and assisting 5 times in his 16 appearances with the Hammers.
So far this season, he has only appeared in 8 Premier League games, scoring twice, but most of these showings have been off of the bench. He isn’t performing badly; he is just out of favour at Manchester United.
United were hit with a blow earlier this season when Lingard confirmed that he would not be extending his expiring contract, meaning that he would leave his boyhood club on a free at the end of the season. The Red Devils may not be content with this though, so a January move would be allowed to generate some profit from the attacker.
Lingard plays across the attack, primarily playing as a centre attacking midfielder. He can also play on both sides of the win and excelled whenever he played as a centre forward for West Ham.
In the summer, it was rumoured that teams would have to pay more than £20m to secure Lingard’s services, now the number is around £10m, which is an absolute steal for an attacker just approaching his peak. We all saw what a confident Lingard can do, for Leicester it would be a major plus to have him doing that week-in week-out at the King Power.
Lingard would fit well at Leicester, he’d provide serious competition to James Maddison – a man who has had mixed form up until recently – as well as Ayoze Perez who, as much as it pains me to say, should be replaced. Lingard offers serious versatility across the attacking line; it would be silly to pass down the opportunity to have him.
As to be expected, West Ham are the favourites right now, and Lingard is continually flirting with his former side on social media. However, if Leicester can make a serious bid, it may just cause Lingard to reconsider his next club. This is one to keep your eye out for.
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.
Domenico Berardi
Now we are talking. Whilst Lingard and Tarkowski would be stellar signings, Berardi is box-office. The Italian winger, once of Juventus, has just exploded into since joining Serie A side Sassuolo in 2015.
His name will be familiar to many Leicester City supporters, his name was frequently linked with the East Midlander’s in the summer and it’s a rumour that has refused to die down. Leicester need an out and out world class right winger, the likes of which they haven’t had since Mahrez left the club. I really like Ademola Lookman, and he is showing some promise, but Berardi is next level.
His stats for Sassuolo are mind blowing, making 305 appearances, and scoring an outstanding 112 goals whilst also creating 73 assists. He has continued his impressive run this season, Berardi is his sides’ top goal scorer, netting 7 league goals and setting up another 6. If that wasn’t enough, he’s also their captain.
The 27-year-old plays mostly on the right wing, but can also play as a centre forward, though if Leicester were to secure his signing, I’d hope to only see him on the wing.
Signing him would be complicated, but not impossible. Sassuolo are currently 12th in Serie A, and a big move may be what Berardi wants as he pushes on from his Euro 2020 win. But Sassuolo may not want to sell.
Berardi’s current contract runs until 2024, so Sassuolo are under no obligation to sell, or even consider options. However, if the price is large enough, surely they’d be interested.
That brings us onto the fee. In the summer, the fee Leicester were apparently being asked for was around £35m, however his impressive start to Serie A this season, the fact that it is January, and the unspoken ‘Premier League tax’ mean that this fee could now easily rise to £50m in total.
It’s an eye watering fee, especially for Leicester, but to get the best players you have to pay the big prices. Currently, TransferMarkt have him valued at £31.50m, I’d be seriously surprised if the fee to get him was close to that number.
Berardi’s signature would be a huge statement from Leicester, it would be a huge boost to the dressing room and to the fans. It may be an unlikely one, but it is one that Leicester should pursue. When it comes to the January window, never say never. (Words by Will Kennedy)