As we enter the final week of the window, transfer activity will escalate as clubs desperately seek to plug gaps in their squads or sell players because they are no longer wanted or can incur substantial fees. The Foxes have already been unusually busy this summer but we should expect more moves as the countdown to Friday begins.
Leicester City finally began their ‘refresh’ at the end of last season, 18 months or so after Brendan Rodgers indicated it was necessary. Out went Caglar Soyuncu, Nampalys Mendy, Ayoze Perez, Youri Tielemans, Daniel Amartey, Jonny Evans and Ryan Bertrand on free transfers. James Maddison and Harvey Barnes went to Spurs and Newcastle respectively, both for substantial fees.
In came Harry Winks from Spurs, Conor Coady from Wolves, Stephy Mavididi from Montpellier and Mads Hermansen from Brondby on permanent deals with Callum Doyle (from Manchester City) and Cesare Casadei (from Chelsea) arriving on loan. Over last weekend, the Turkish winger Yunus Akgun was signed from Galatasaray, initially on loan but with an option to buy, and, at the time of writing, the 19-year-old Sporting Lisbon winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is reportedly undertaking a medical and, like Akgun, will join on loan with an obligation to buy if certain conditions, such as promotion, are met.
What else can we expect? One certain departure is Belgium full-back Timothy Castagne. He has not figured in Enzo Maresca’s first-team plans so far and a move has been mooted for some time now. At the time of writing, it is being reported that Fulham are close to securing his services. Seemingly on the way out too is left-back Victor Kristiansen who is said to be close to a loan move to Italian Serial’s A side Bologna.
A likely departure, too, appears to be Wilfred Ndidi. Earlier in the window Nottingham Forest and Celtic were said to be interested although the fee likely to be insisted upon by Leicester probably puts the Scottish club out of the running. Over the weekend, Forest are said to have firmed up their interest and, if TalkSPORT is to be believed, they have already agreed personal terms with the player who is, it is said, keen on the move.
Foxes fans will be somewhat ambivalent over the Ndidi news. Once regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe, his form has deteriorated substantially in the last couple of seasons. Nevertheless, Ndidi has been given a new lease of life under Maresca, featuring in the all the games so far as a box-to-box number eight. Whilst never looking entirely convincing, he does seem to be growing into the role. Having said that, Dennis Praet and Cesare Casadei would appear to be more natural fits for that position.
There may be other departures too as the Foxes look to trim their squad. Six players who have not featured at all in the starting 11 – Boubakary Soumare, Patson Daka, Harry Souttar, Daniel Iversen, Danny Ward and Luke Thomas – may also leave. Soumare has been linked with Sevilla, Daka with Bournemouth, Souttar with Rangers and Thomas with Leeds. Less likely, but not impossible, departures include Jannik Vestergaard, Wot Faes and Kelechi Inheanacho. These latter three would represent significant losses since they have been integral to Maresca’s first team although Coady will presumably replace Vestergaard in the back line when he is back from injury.
Any further incomings are likely to depend on departures. The club is well stocked at full back but if any of the centre backs leave a replacement is likely to be sought. On that score, Leicester may well try to thrash out a loan deal for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, a Manchester City youngster who was with Burnley last season. A replacement for Ndidi if sold – such as the QPR midfielder Ilias Chair – might also happen.
The departures are to be welcomed. At present, the Foxes squad is too big – only 25 players can be registered for the Championship – and expensive. The club still needs to trim its wage bill if it is comply with the Championship’s financial regulations, which are much more strict than those operating in the Premier League, and to account for the massive drop in income caused by relegation.
Whatever happens this week, Leicester is still likely to have the strongest squad in English football’s second tier. It includes four full England internationals: Jamie Vardy, Conor Coady, Harry Winks and James Justin. Together with the other additions and the remaining players, who were plying their trade in the Premier League last season, LCFC supporters should be able to look forward to a good campaign.