Leicester City’s 2026/27 third-division squad is steadily taking shape at King Power Stadium. Eight new signings have already been confirmed: Tommy Watson, Wes Burns, Alex McCarthy, Conor Chaplin, Liam Cullen, Christian McFarlane, Admir Bristric and Franco Ravizzoli.
LCFC Fans were particularly delighted to secure striker Bristric. The Bosnia-Herzegovina youth international scored freely on loan in Slovenia last term and now aims to replicate that form in England.
New Foxes boss Russell Martin is not done yet, however, because key positions still needing reinforcement ahead of the transfer window closing. Ben Nelson's long-term layoff, along with the potential £8 million departure of Harry Souttar to Sheffield United mean a centre-back is becoming a higher priority on the wishlist, while another central midfielder is also apparently being targeted.
Leicester City eye Liverpool's James McConnell
Martin has supposedly set his sights on Liverpool's promising 21-year-old James McConnell; the East Midlands outfit want to bring him in on loan this summer to strengthen the midfield ranks. The Morpeth-born talent came through Sunderland's academy before joining Liverpool in 2019, making 13 senior appearances for the Reds and spending last season on loan at Ajax, where he performed at a level far above tier three, whilst also impressing at his parent club during pre-season.
McConnell is comfortable operating as both a defensively and centrally, making him a perfect fit for the former Southampton boss's possession-focused system. The Red remains calm under pressure, boasts excellent passing range, decision-making and is equally effective at recycling possession in tight spaces or launching attacks from deep.
Beyond his strong distribution skills, McConnell works tirelessly out of possession, pressing aggressively, tackling cleanly as well as reading the game intelligently to contribute defensively too. Capable of playing as a deep-lying pivot or pushing further forward, the Englishman offers City genuine alternative to Oliver Skipp, tactical flexibility in a setup built around control, midfield dominanc and quick, cohesive link-up play.
Update on possible loans…..
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) August 11, 2026
Calum Scanlon has interest from Cardiff City/Sheff Wed.
Championship clubs and Leicester in for James McConnell. Dutch interest in Kieran Morrison.
In terms of Ndukwe, #LFC inundated with offers from Portugal, Germany and Denmark. Clubs in Belgium,…
Leicester would have to pitch regular first-team football; the fact they are widely tipped to fight for the League One title may be an attractive proposition for the developing athlete. Although, the Leicestershire side face a tough fight to land McConnell: numerous Championship teams are reportedly keen, and his impressive pedigree could make the second tier seem like more natural progression following his time in the Eredivisie and around the senior Merseyside squad.
Convincing McConnell that Martin's playing style is the ideal environment for his continued growth is arguably City's only true selling point in this chase. Even so, it remains a challenging task to beat off rival interest and secure his signature before others.
Add us as a preferred source on Google