The Foxes have just secured their 10th signing of a relentless summer transfer window, bringing 19-year-old Finnish centre-back Ilari Kangasniemi to the East Midlands from FC Inter Turku on a five-year deal running until 2031. The towering, 6 foot 6 defender (previously of Inter Milan's youth academy) arrived for a fee of around £2 million, a record sale for Finnish football.
Leicester City boss Russell Martin appears to wish to reshape and fundamentally overhaul his midfield department before the transfer window closes. Former Tottenham Hotspur man Oliver Skipp has emerged as the most likely high-profile departure from King Power Stadium, with the club already identifying potential replacements as they prepare to move him on.
Skipp has struggled to justify his substantial £50,000-a-week wages and £20m price tag since arriving, with inconsistent form and successive relegations leaving him a standout sale. Offloading the 25-year-old would free up significant funds on the wage bill while generating a transfer fee in the region of £10m-15m that could be reinvested, making his exit a financial and tactical priority.
Oliver Skipp's possible replacement at Leicester City
According to The Lower Tiers, Leicester have now submitted a formal bid for Barnsley midfielder Patrick Kelly, with other clubs also said to be tracking the highly-rated 21-year-old Northern Ireland international. The box-to-box midfielder (who can operate in defensive or central midfield) notched two goals and six assists last term, and would bring youthful energy, ball-winning quality and competitive aggression to the LCFC engine room.
🚨🗞️| EXCLUSIVE: Leicester City Submit Bid for Barnsley Midfielder Patrick Kelly
— The Lower Tiers (@LowerTiers) August 26, 2026
The Foxes have submitted a bid for Patrick Kelly, The Lower Tiers understands, with sources confirming that other unnamed clubs have also made offers
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Born in Portstewart and previously developed at West Ham United, Kelly is valued by Transfermarkt at approximately €350,000; a figure that could rise sharply given his rapid progress. He would slot in as a modern, versatile midfield option, offering exactly the balanced, dynamic presence Martin needs to build a promotion-chasing side capable of controlling games at third-tier level.
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