Leicester City could sign their next Harry Maguire with this transfer swoop.
Leicester City fans will hope an announcement that reveals who Enzo Maresca’s successor is comes soon, with Graham Potter still leading the way to be the Italian’s replacement.
With the transfer embargo at the Foxes looking likely to be lifted too, according to reports, next season could see Leicester thrive in the Premier League, rather than settling for safety after being crowned as champions of the second tier.
The East Midlands outfit will want to press on to get a number of new signings in through the door soon, to bolster the squad ahead of the challenge of competing in the elite league again, with reinforcements in defence being targeted.
Leicester eyeing up their next Harry Maguire
According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are willing to offload Joe Rodon for just £10m this summer, with interest already there from Leicester among other Premier League clubs.
Fellow newly promoted sides Southampton and Ipswich Town are also reportedly queueing up to win the in-demand centre-back’s permanent signature, after he impressed on loan with Leeds United last season, despite his loan club’s inability to move back up to the top flight.
Daniel Farke’s men were keen on a reunion this summer, but no doubt Rodon will want to test himself in the top English division, having excelled in the Championship, with Leicester admiring him from afar in the promotion race presumably.
How Rodon can become Leicester’s next Maguire
Rodon could end up becoming the Foxes’ very next Harry Maguire if everything goes to plan, with Leicester signing the 6 foot 4 titan for a similar fee to what is now being touted for the ex-Leeds loanee, winning the now Manchester United defender’s services for £17m after a breakout spell with Hull City.
"It's Maguire with the header! It's a big, big header from the captain!"
Whatever happened to him? 🤔#hcafc | #theTigers pic.twitter.com/A7xDtep6Hs
— Hull City (@HullCity) April 1, 2020
Rodon would be cheaper, however, and could go on to perform like a colossus in a similar fashion to the England international, if his last campaign is anything to go by.
Before the 31-year-old became a common scapegoat at Old Trafford – with the excessive £80m fee Man United once paid for him arguably working against the ex-Foxes man – Maguire was a strong and imposing centre-back at the King Power Stadium.
From his 69 Premier League appearances for his former club, the defender would amass five goals and become a reliable source of important strikes coming up from the back , on top of being a brute presence full stop, winning an average of 5.8 duels per game during his swansong Foxes campaign.
Albeit whilst playing in the Championship, Rodon’s numbers for last season better Maguire in a number of areas based on his 2018/19 showing, whilst also nearly matching up with the Man United centre-back in other aspects.
As can be seen looking at the table above, the Welshman can be an imposing figure – coming in at 6 foot 4 too – but also a calm and measured passer of the ball out from the back.
Rodon could, therefore, offer even more than Maguire managed during his final season, if the 26-year-old can handle the step-up in quality, after being a top dog in the league below.
Described as possessing a “warrior mentality” by his ex-Whites boss in Farke, when Leeds were scrapping for their lives at the start of last season to make up for a slow start, he could be the perfect person to bring in if Leicester find themselves submerged in a relegation fight.
Who will occupy the Leicester hot seat still remains to be seen, but if the next manager made Rodon their first capture, he would be an instantly popular boss.
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