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To prepare for life after Jamie Vardy and to help Steve Cooper steer the club away from the relegation zone, Leicester City must sign a new striker “as soon as possible”, former forward Alan Smith believes.
The ex-City and Arsenal frontman turned Sky Sports co-commentator believes that funds need to be handed to Cooper to allow him to strengthen his attack. City do have options up front, but their reliance on Vardy has been growing.
Despite being 37, Vardy has played 94 per cent of City’s Premier League minutes. Only once in his 13-year career at the club has he played a greater share of league minutes, suggesting it would not be sustainable for the captain to keep playing as he is.
Cooper does have three more strikers he can call on, but has so far pinned his hopes on Vardy. Jordan Ayew has mainly been used as a winger, Patson Daka has been injured and Odsonne Edouard has not inspired confidence, the Crystal Palace loanee failing to even make the bench last time out.
It’s not that Vardy is underperforming. He’s already got four goals, surpassing his tally from the relegation campaign. But Smith does not think City can rely on him for the foreseeable future.
“The level Steve Cooper can take Leicester to depends on the funds he has available to improve his squad,” Smith told Instant Casino. “He did a good job at Nottingham Forest for a long time before that ended, and he’s a solid manager. If he can get more players in the door, Leicester can gain a foothold in the Premier League again.
“They must address the striker position as soon as possible. Jamie Vardy is a hero at the club obviously and he’s still knocking in the odd goal, but they need to look for another centre forward who is younger and can take the team forward in years to come.”
City have taken 10 points from their first 10 games, a tally that leaves them in 15th, five points clear of the drop zone. That’s better than Smith initially expected.
He added: “I feared for them at the start of the season as it didn’t look as though they had got enough players in the door, and I think Steve Cooper was disappointed with the club’s inability to bring in new talent.
“I think he’s a good coach. He has made the most of what he’s got, and it’s led to them picking up more points than I thought they would. It will be close for them down at the bottom, but I think they have enough to survive.”
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