Despite a terrible start to the season, Leicester City have turned around a seemingly perilous situation into one that breeds optimism. Nevertheless, it is no secret that Leicester have to improve their squad in key areas if they are to continue this positive momentum. With a reported £46m loan taken in advance of money from Wesley Fofana’s sale, LCFC have the funds to make their presence felt as long as outgoings clear registration spaces. Thus FOL have picked out three key areas that need bolstering most in the upcoming transfer market.
Please note that unless stated otherwise, the player options for each position are merely hypothetical and are not firmly linked at the time of writing.
Leicester City’s left-back conundrum
James Justin’s season-ending injury has meant that Leicester have just two fit full-backs heading into a busy festive period. Although Ricardo Pereira is nearing a return to fitness, his injury record means that he can only be slowly reintegrated into the team. Therefore, Luke Thomas and Timothy Castagne are the only two current full-backs that can be regularly relied on.
Whilst Luke Thomas had a good game against MK Dons in the cup he is seen by most as a backup option rather than a first-choice left-back. Fortunately, there are several options that could be pursued if Leicester were to reinforce this area. Robin Gosens is a name that has been perenially linked with the Foxes and would be a statement signing if interest was to be re-ignited.
Also on a potential shortlist is Stade Rennais full-back Adrien Truffert who has four assists in 15 Ligue 1 matches. Whilst there has been no firm interest in the player as of yet, he fits the profile due to his young age and would likely cost around £20m. Furthermore, he ranks highly in both attacking and defensive metrics on his Fbref profile. This would provide a good balance to the attacking talents that the Foxes also possess on the right-hand side.
A third option would be Borna Sosa who impressed with Croatia in the World Cup. The Croat is currently playing for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga and stood out for his tough tackling as well as his crossing ability. Whilst he would be more expensive due to his tournament performance, he represents another interesting option Leicester City could potentially look into.
Centre-back replacements
Another position of need for Leicester City is at centre-back, a seemingly recurring problem for the Foxes. Whilst no longer as desperate an issue due to the emergence of Wout Faes, the likely departure of Caglar Soyuncu means a replacement is most certainly needed. This is adding to the fact that Jannik Vestergaard is not anywhere near the first team, leaving just three centre-backs plus Wilfried Ndidi.
Once again, Leicester City could return to previously linked options such as Attila Szalai who would provide a towering and left-footed option. Alternatively, a left-field pick could be Jakub Kiwior, a 22-year-old centre-back who plays for Spezia in Serie A. Sadly neither a likely to come cheap, with prices of £20m likely due to their respective importance for their clubs.
Replacing Riyad Mahrez?
The final area of need is perhaps the longest-standing issue the Foxes have faced. Finding a permanent successor to this position has been elusive for several years. This is not too surprising given that players of that ilk and profile are expensive to come by. However, January may represent a chance for the Foxes to finally fill this long-standing vacancy.
Leicester have been linked to Brazilian winger Tete who plays for Lyon, on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk. On the face of it, this would be a fantastic signing. Tete is a top-five league-proven, goalscoring winger who would be available on a cut-price deal. This is because he has just six months left on his Shakhtar contract and is unlikely to want to extend it due to the current geopolitical situation.
Whilst Tete would certainly be the standout option, another possibility would be Jeremie Boga, who was strongly linked to the Foxes over the summer. Nevertheless, despite his ability to dribble, the fact that Boga is primarily a left-winger could prove to be an issue. Although this would likely be a loan deal, there is little point wasting a valuable registration spot only to use a square peg to fill a round hole.
Priorities and prices
Ultimately, Leicester City have more than three areas that need bolstering. A new goalkeeper and midfield replacements are also issues that need resolving but these can wait until the summer. With a limited budget and the January window being notoriously tricky to navigate, LCFC will have to reinforce only where absolutely necessary; especially as teams are reluctant to part with their stars for anything less than a premium. Conversely, this will go the same way and Leicester will likely rebuff any attempts to purchase their star names.