Steve Cooper is hoping to get a new striker through the door at Leicester City, leading to the club making a bid for a forward who registered 32 goal contributions last season.
Leicester City were already looking a little light in the forward areas even before injuries to both Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka.
With Kelechi Iheanacho having left the club this summer and Tom Cannon looking unlikely to be fancied by Steve Cooper, Leicester are in a real predicament ahead of the season.
With just a week until the Foxes kick off their campaign by welcoming Tottenham to the King Power on Monday night, attacking reinforcements are desperately needed.
Of the five summer arrivals so far, Bobby De Cordova-Reid is the only one who can operate as a centre-forward but it is far from his best position.
With this in mind, Leicester have now returned to the transfer market with a move for a player who could resolve the the striker position for many years to come.
Leicester City ‘submit’ £23m bid for Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis
With Vardy 37 and Daka inconsistent, it is likely Cooper has had a striker high on his list of priorities since taking over at Leicester.
The fact the pair are both injured and likely to miss the start of the season has only served to increase the urgency of resolving this issue as soon as possible.
This has seen Leicester spring into action, as Daily Telegraph journalist John Percy revealed on ‘X’: “Leicester City transfer news – Leicester submit offer of around £23m (€27m) for Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis.
“Bid went in yesterday for Greece international. Talks ongoing with Galatasaray over possible loan deal for Wilfried Zaha, nothing agreed yet.”
The fact that Zaha can also operate as a centre-forward makes a loan deal for the former Crystal Palace man make a lot of sense for Cooper, but it looks as though Leicester have now backed their manager with a big bid for Fortis Ioannidis.
Ioannidis could be the man to fire Leicester City to Premier League survival
The good news for Leicester fans is that this not a stop-gap signing.
Vardy is a legend at the club, scoring 190 goals for the Foxes whilst winning the Premier League and FA Cup.
As impressive as it is that he is still a key man at 37, Cooper knows Vardy cannot go on forever and it therefore makes sense to now sign a player in Ioannidis who is much earlier in his career at 24.
The Greek striker had an impressive season last time out, scoring 23 goals and providing nine assists in all competitions; notably scoring five in six games in the Europa League.
Scout Ben Mattinson provided insight into what Leicester fans can expect should the club secure the signing, as he described Ioannidis as having ‘good instincts’ and ‘good finishing ability off both feet which makes him dangerous in the box’.
However, Cooper clearly feels Ioannidis is capable of doing so with Leicester pursuing the move.
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