Leicester aim to sign international CB in January transfer window

Leicester City have set their sights on an international centre-back for the January transfer window. Here is what you need to know about Abdul Mumin.

It is by no surprise that the King Power side are rumoured to be interested in several centre-backs ahead of the January transfer window. From Pontus Jansson to James Tarkowski, the usual characteristic of those linked are strength and competence.

However, a more surprising link is to an international teammate of revived Foxes player Daniel Amartey. Ghanaian defender Abdul Mumin is wanted by Brendan Rodgers to provide long-term competition for places.

Here is what you need to know about the price, style, and likelihood of this transfer. Of course, I will also detail my preferred transfer and how Mumin could affect that.

Leicester City’s Jonny Evans replacement

From the brilliant FC Nordsjælland to upper midtable Vitória SC, Mumin has grown from a promising centre-back brought up through the Ghanaian ‘Right to Dream’ academy into a professional defender. The player is perhaps the archetypical Leicester transfer.

Statistically – as per Sofascore – the Rodgers-admired CB is a crucial player for the Portuguese side. He has started 13 of their league matches, playing for 87 mins per game, meaning he tends to finish most games. The player is integral to how they defend.

Stylistically, there are three elements to his game. Firstly, the Ghanaian is a defender at the back. Mumin does not stray from the defensive role, rarely drifting forward to assist in attacking plays. This allows the player to accumulate four clearances a game and 1.2 tackles per game.

Second, for Leicester City, they need a player who does not give up possession much. This is indicated within the centre-back by his SmarterScout report, scoring a 92/100 for ball retention. He seldom surrenders the ball under challenge, though his passing is only an 84% accuracy.

Beyond this, the international defender is certainly strong and composed. These characteristics make Mumin the perfect Jonny Evans replacement in the long term. Stylistically and statistically sound, this would make good business.

Is the transfer worth it?

Valued at around £12 million, with Newcastle United also on the hunt for the player, a transfer would not necessarily be cheap. That being said, it could have been a higher fee were it not for his contract expiring in two years.

Vitoria SC may wish to cash in on the defender this January and take advantage of a duel between the Foxes and Magpies. This being said, £12 million is not a small amount of money for a player, and with other options already at the club, a move could be questionable.

Though the player is impressive, the King Power side is also linked with a move for the out of favour Lucas Digne. Unless Leicester City can make a decent amount of budget back from selling Papy Mendy and perhaps Filip Benkovic, then getting both is out of the question.

There are also better options available in the market. Swedish international Jansson of Brentford is a more proven and strong defender, with Tarkowski far better than either. ‘Tarky’ should be the priority. Which player do you think the Northern Irish gaffer should go for? Let Foxes of Leicester know on our social media channels.