Brendan Rodgers continues his march towards a summer squad overhaul. Leicester City are linked to copious amounts of players, here is an update on the links by position.
The Northern Irishman has commented multiple times about the need for a healthy squad refresh in the summer. Players need to be moved on and new energy must be acquired. This includes every position on the pitch.
It therefore comes as no surprise the King Power club is targeting moves for a plurality of young, experienced, winning, technical, and of course passionate talents. The aim of the rework is to reenergise the team and bring back a sense of momentum to the ground.
So, I am going to go through each position on the pitch and summarise the speculation we are seeing, as well as providing commentary on the suitability and probability of particular signings. Here we go.
Leicester City’s backline
From bargain buys such as Jonny Evans to the sensational such as Wesley Fofana, the East Midlands residents have heritage on the line when buying centre-backs. That was partly spoilt by a lacklustre Jannik Vestergaard, though the Dane should come good.
However, with Caglar Soyuncu the subject of a move to Juventus, and our Northern Irish stalwart getting no younger, it is certainly time to bring in a couple more centre backs to compete. Quality of depth and replacing Evans are the priorities here.
Jeremiah St. Juste has been touted as an option should the Turkish international part with the squad. The 25-year-old Dutchman is known as the fastest player in the Bundesliga and is pivotal for his club. Realistically, we would need to pay around £10-15m for the player, which represents an insignificant risk for a player of this experience and pace.
On the more youthful and inexperienced front, Levi Colwill of Huddersfield Town (on loan from Chelsea) has been earmarked as an option, with rumours of a bid already being rejected by the London club. This centre-back has been on fire for Huddersfield, making clearance after clearance. Active and energetic, he is exactly what the East Midlands outfit could do with.
In need of fullbacks?
After tying down Ricardo Pereira to a long-term contract, with the growth of Luke Thomas, and the signings of Timothy Castagne and James Justin, it may seem we do not need any more fullbacks. However, there remains room for at least one more.
Ryan Bertrand must certainly be on the way out after a dismal season with the Foxes, if so, we could do with a starting left-back to push Thomas to reach further heights. This being said, the King Power club also have ‘JJ’ who can play very well on the left.
However, the English fullback can be seen as a versatile defender, who can be placed on the right, left, or centre when required. That leaves room for a dedicated starter at left of defence.
Turkish international Ridvan Yilmaz is a more recent rumour. The 21-year-old is an aggressive and attacking fullback. The player has impressed at Besiktas this season and is looking for a switch to England. For a possible €10m, this is a cheap transfer but still a risk.
Outgoing ‘Starman’
The press mill is running wild with two potential exists from Leicester. The King Power club are possibly looking at selling both Youri Tielemans and James Maddison to fund their summer spending spree. Should the club follow through with this, there are two first team spots up for grabs. Well, one with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall taking the Belgian’s spot.
Primarily, we are looking at attack-minded talent. Charles de Ketelaere is the most profound transfer rumour in this department. The Belgian would be a direct competitor or replacement for ‘Madders’ and offers an immense amount of potential development going forward. He would be expensive but extremely good.
Some quiet transfer pieces have noted Leicester scouts at FC Porto fixtures. This is possibly in relation to their star player Fabio Vieira. Another attacking midfielder with plenty of energy and goal scoring acumen. The Portuguese midfielder would not be cheap, but would be cheaper than the Belgian.
A far weaker target is Aguibou Camara. A 20-year-old Guinean also linked to Liverpool and Newcastle United. Playing for Olympiacos, the attacking midfielder is certainly an exciting prospect, but would not represent an immediate upgrade in either the first team or squad depth.
Finally, some wingers
It is no longer breaking news that Leicester City may have already decided to make Ademola Lookman’s stay with them permanent, and nor is it surprising they are in for right-wingers. There are plenty of good options Rodgers is after.
Foremost amongst the players is Noni Madueke. This speculation appears concrete, with multiple news sites reporting similar stories. The PSV Eindhoven right-winger is prolific, energetic, and youthful – exactly what we need. Nevertheless, he would not come cheap.
Nottingham Forest star Brennan Johnson is another possibility. Though the fellow Midlands team will not want to let the player leave for cheap, the individual talent and flare Johnson has is most palatable to Foxes supporters.
The weakest target here is to Josh Bowler of Blackpool. This 23-year-old English winger has been good, but is nothing short of speculation for Leicester. That being said, the player would be cheap and cheerful for the Foxes. Still, it would not be worth it.
Another striker
Oddly, the Foxes are moving for forwards. This can only mean one – or both – of two things. Firstly, the future of Kelechi Iheanacho might be up in the air, as the Nigerian international deserves more gametime. Second, the playing future of Jamie Vardy might be in question as injuries continue to plague the English striker.
With this in mind, Mohamed-Ali Cho has been targeted by the King Power side. This is another one of those gems from Ligue 1, so would be available at a decent price for a youthful attacker. He has been compared to the greats of the game, but his inexperience makes him ill-suited to a competition with Patson Daka for places.
French forward talent is certainly in vogue. Arnaud Kalimuendo of RC Lens (on loan from Paris Saint-Germain) is the personal target of Rodgers, as the gaffer looks to bring in energetic forwards capable of replacing Vardy. Kalkimuendo is a balanced, pacey, and exciting prospect. He would be available for a good price.
However, my personal favourite piece is that towards another RB Salzburg player. Chukwubuike Adamu of the Austrian champions and Nigeria is one of our rumoured interests. The player burst onto the scene in startling fashion in the Champions League, and would certainly be another long term addition from the Austrian club.
There are also believable speculations around the Swansea revelation Joel Piroe, formerly of PSV. The 18-goal in 39 games striker has been clinical for the Welsh side, is fairly balanced, and would not result in breaking the bank. There are though better alternatives.
Clearly, Leicester City are in for a big transfer window. Players leaving, players joining. The only constants being those on long contracts only recently signed. Which players do you want to see join the King Power squad? Let Foxes of Leicester know on social media.