I can’t think of a transfer window where the Foxes have been busier. In total, 20 members of the first-team squad from last season have left the King Power Stadium, with 14 players, 10 of them permanent, coming in. Unusually, Leicester were very active on transfer deadline day, bringing in Emil Riis, John Lundstram, Warren O’Hora and Kamari Doyle and letting Oliver Skipp, Stephy Mavididi and Hamza Choudhury leave.
The wage bill
The first point to make about Leicester’s transfer window is that one key priority for the club in the wake of relegation to League One has been to reduce the wage bill. The assumption was that the amount paid to staff would have to be cut by about 40 per cent.
In this sense, progress has certainly been made. The departure of several players presumably on substantial salaries – in particular Ricardo Pereira, Jordan Ayew, Oliver Skipp, Patson Daka and Harry Winks – and their replacement by players undoubtedly earning far less, coupled with the transfer fees gained by the sale of Jeremy Monga, Abdul Fatawu and Bilal El Khannouss – will help the club financially.
Goalkeepers
Alex McCarthy has struggled in his first few games, particularly in terms of distribution, and it looked like Jakub Stolarczyk had reestablished himself as the first choice. The unfortunate injury he suffered early in the Plymouth game looked serious, however, and the former Saints keeper may get an extended run in the side.
It is a little unfair to pick on McCarthy, not least because Russell Martin insists on playing from the back and, as we have seen, there are risks attached to this tactic. The 39-year-old did redeem himself somewhat in the second half against Plymouth with several fine saves, but if his poor distribution results in conceding a goal, Foxes fans will have little patience. The only alternative is Franco Ravizzoli, signed from Blackpool, but he is untried, at least at the King Power Stadium.
Loan signings
The decision to bring in three loan players signed early in the transfer window - Christian McFarlane, Harry Howell and Tommy Watson – looks sensible. The Manchester City left-back, in particular, is a class act and may be a regular starter in the team. Less is known about Kamari Doyle, the third Brighton player to join the club on loan.
Centre backs
Surprisingly, both Ben Nelson and Harry Souttar remain at the club, despite reported interest in them from clubs higher up the food chain. Even Wout Faes is still at the King Power Stadium after West Ham apparently pulled the plug on a deal. Luke Thomas has also been a revelation since he was switched to the left side of central defence in the last few games. Caleb Okoli is another option, although he has looked poor so far this season.
Faes may still depart, however, with the King Power’s sister club OH Leuven showing an interest. Moreover, Nelson suffered a season-ending ACL injury in pre-season. As a result, it is sensible to strengthen the heart of the defence and, to that end, Leicester have signed the 19-year-old Finnish colossus Ilari Kangasniemi and the experienced Hibernian stopper Warren O’Hora. How these two will cope with the rigours of League One football is yet to be seen, but the Foxes look well stocked now at centre back.
Midfield and wingers
Leicester signed two midfielders – Liam Cullen and Conor Chaplin – early on in the transfer window followed by Lundstram and Doyle late on. The two loan wingers – Watson and Howell – compete with Wes Burns signed from Ipswich.
I can’t help thinking that some of the earlier signings were, if not panic buys, then premature. In particular, Cullen has looked off the pace, as has Wes Burns. Chaplin, although a good signing in theory, has proven to be injury-prone so far. Lundstram, with recent experience of winning promotion with Hull, looks like a good buy.
There is squad depth, certainly, but with Louis Page, Sammy Braybrooke and Will Alves looking like regular starters, some of the signings look unnecessary. Perhaps the most important decision of this transfer window was Leicester’s reluctance to allow Page to move to Manchester United.
Strikers
The Foxes were in desperate need of strikers since, with the departures of Ayew and Daka, no central forwards were left at the club. One arrived in the form of Admir Bristric. So far, he has struggled, but it is early days. The arrival of Emil Riis from Bristol might, with his experience of English football, be more likely to succeed more rapidly.
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