Three free transfers Leicester City could pull off to give Steve Cooper a boost

As part of Cooper’s gameplan, one of the full-backs needs to push on and join the attack when City have got the ball, and during his years at Crystal Palace, Van Aanholt showed he’s plenty capable of joining the attack and contributing at the top end.

Yusuf Yazici

Cooper has shown he likes versatile attacking players, those who can be dropped into any role out wide, in attacking midfield or up front. Yusuf Yazici would tick that box.

The Turkish international scored 12 goals across all competitions for Lille last season, doing so from out on the right, as a number 10, or while leading the line. Since leaving the French club, he’s been linked to the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United.

City now have plenty of attacking options after signing Bilal El Khannouss and Odsonne Edouard in the final couple of days of the window, but Yazici would give them one more option. At 27, he’s a decent age too.

Miralem Pjanic

The last time City were promoted to the Premier League, they signed an experienced top-level midfielder on a free transfer by bringing in Esteban Cambiasso, a move that proved to be a masterstroke. If they feel they need something similar, Miralem Pjanic looks the best option.

A midfield all-rounder, the Bosnian has spent the past two seasons in the UAE and so there may be concern that his level has dropped in a less competitive league, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was a mainstay for Juventus. And in Italy, he was consistently one of the top-performing midfielders, finishing in the Serie A team of the year four times.