The summer transfer window has been open for 33 days, and Leicester City are yet to welcome a single player through the Seagrave doors. Paint that how you like, add whatever spin you can, this very fact is nothing short of a disaster for Brendan Rodgers and his recruitment team.
A summer that promised so much, with words like rebuild and overhaul being bandied around, has so far amounted to exactly nothing. Charles de Ketelaere has just joined AC Milan – a name Foxes fans were convinced they would be talking about as a City player, and nothing close to an offer ever materialised.
Brendan Rodgers, although he might not show it, must be furious. He is witnessing Newcastle United investing in astute signings to elevate their squad level. Whilst Gianluca Scamacca puts pen to paper on a £30million plus deal at West Ham United.
Not only that, but the top three stories on last night’s Sky Sports News at 9 bulletin were all about Leicester players – Wesley Fofana reportedly trying to force a move to Chelsea, James Maddison allegedly keen on a Newcastle switch, and Kasper Schmeichel agreeing to join OGC Nice. Please select the below link for Page two.
The worrying part for those who follow the East Midlanders is not simply the absence of any completed transfers, but more the complete dereliction of ambition that has suddenly come over the club. Aston Villa, by contrast, have shown a clear recruitment strategy, bringing in Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos soon after last season’s end, and tying down Philippe Coutinho relatively early in the window.
With Leicester, it seemed too much of an ask to have their new Head of Recruitment in place during one of the most important transfer windows in the club’s recent history. There might be financial constraints, and the issue of needing to sell before buying, but so far, it’s only Eldin Jakupovic who has departed, and that was due to his contract expiring.
Of course there’s the argument, and it’s one that makes sense, that Leicester City are in a stronger position today than they were four days ahead of the previous campaign. With an almost full bill of health at KPS, despite Ricardo Pereira’s injury sustained against Sevilla. But this is the Premier League – somewhere that teams cannot stand still because the competitors who do invest and recruit will easily bypass them.
So what does Brendan Rodgers do now? He knows that transfer funds must be generated from player sales, and he knows that Youri Tielemans isn’t going to have many takers. My suspicion is that he’s too principled to sell James Maddison and/or Wesley Fofana, and that doing so would mean the hierarchy would not be aligned with his values on how a football club should be run.
We’re not privy to the conversations that go on behind closed doors at Seagrave, although Rodgers does not come across as the type of character who wouldn’t put pressure on his board or wouldn’t kick up a fuss about transfer policy. He’s a man who appears to value honour, honesty, and integrity. And while the club might not have lied to its supporters, it certainly isn’t being as open as they might like.
City are likely to finish in the top half this season, with most bookmakers odds suggesting LCFC will do so. That would be just fine for the expected transition, but the transfer business or lack thereof is more meaningful than where it finishes next season, exhibiting a staggering absence of a coherent strategy within its hierarchy. The connotations of this summer are seriously alarming for the future.