Leicester getting close to first signing of January transfer window
Leicester City's pursuit of winter reinforcements is accelerating. The need to continue their refreshment is visible for all to see. Defensively they are fragile. They need a centre-back. It seems the Foxes are gunning for their main target.
Leicester City's Winter Ambitions
Enzo Maresca's team have several faces which need to be offloaded due to featuring very little or not really fitting into the way the side play. Danny Ward, Alex Smithies, and Daniel Iversen are chief amongst those who must be moved on to make space in this bloated squad.
We can identify the positions noted for improvement by those who have been linked to the former Premier League side. We have already seen multiple midfielders, fullbacks, and the subject of this concrete rumour: a most exciting centre-back. Supporters will be looking for three gone, three in during the winter window.
Update on Lucas Beraldo Pursuit
According to recent reports, the King Power club have held talks with the representatives of the Brazilian defender Lucas Berlado. Foxes of Leicester have already covered Beraldo and what you need to know here. The player is obviously an exciting addition to the roster if a move materialises. However, there is a lot that can go wrong in the meantime.
1. Bloat
Leicester currently has the full 25 players registered for their Championship squad. On top of this, there are a few youngsters who do not need to be registered - yet. Of course, this means that to sign any players and register them, others must be sent on their way. Even if you sign a young player, you eventually need to offload someone, and the three extra goalkeepers are my top picks.
2. Competition
Those same reports mention massive clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool also being interested in signing Beraldo who has until 2028 on his contract with Sao Paulo. In such a context, the Brazilian star-kid is a highly sought after talent, and unlikely to want any uncertainty in playing top-league football. Although likely at this time, the Foxes are not guaranteed EPL next season.
3. Value
£17m is the expected transfer fee required to lure the Brazilian to the East Midlands. This is not an unsubstantial amount. Compare that to our recent high-impact signings of around £10m, to go and spend nearly double that without a guarantee of Premier League football could be risky. Especially since we do not know how the player will fare in English football.
So, although talks have been had, there is no update on whether there is a contract nearing agreement, or transfer fee agreed between the two clubs. Leicester City have scouted, targeted, and conversed about this potential signing. With all the competition, the King Power side will hope to tie this up swiftly. We are in for a busy opening week for the window.