Leicester City are champions, and with a return to the Premier League incoming, the side will have a lot to do in the transfer market. Here are three players the Foxes should look to sign from our former Championship rivals.
As we know, several players are leaving and a few others have been used so little throughout the campaign that they will be exiting the club come their return to the Premier League. We have already discussed which positions the Champion Foxes need to focus on upon their return, but let us explore which possible Championship players the King Power club should sign.
I will be slightly realistic with this list: it is highly unlikely that we could sieze any of the Ipswich Town stars with their momentum and collective mentality leading them to the EPL as well. However, obviously taking the loanee Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea), Lief Davis, or Conor Chaplin would represent serious moves in the market.
Leicester City’s best three moves
Myself, I like to look at positions and stats as well as using a bit of eye test to understand whether a player is suitable or not for the King Power side. Enzo Maresca’s system also represents a challenge for us to build a set of transfers around, but we do have options.
First of all, in midfield Leicester need a goal-scoring, pacy, creative, and versatile player who can come straight into the first team to perform alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Harry Winks. Where better to look for this than the gift that just keeps giving: Norwich City.
Gabriel Sara has been a standout performer for the Canaries. The Brazilian midfielder has the fourth highest value for goal creating actions in the division. Further, the young star has the first highest non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists out of the entire Norwich City team: in essence, he is the creative life-blood of the team. On top of this, Sara has more goals than either KDH or Stephy Mavididi.
Although this would not be a cheap transfer, the creativity, goals, and overall play of Sara would be a brilliant addition to Maresca’s system and fill the void about to be created by the departure of Dennis Praet and likely exit of Wilfred Ndidi. A better fit, better stats, and a first teamer for sure. A cheaper option could possibly be Flynn Downes from Southampton: he is a lot less creative, a lot cheaper, but also more composed on the ball so could work in the Winks role.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of players leaving in defence, so we need to ensure the Foxes have defenders who can show pace, track down danger, put in plenty of challenges, and offers a threat going forward. Remember, we need someone similar to how Wout Faes or Wesley Fofana can play, but also has the versatility to play on one of the two flanks if needed. I think Sunderland have our man.
Trai Hume has played every single Championship fixture for the former giants. A clearly high-class, young and explosive talent, Leicester City would do well to bring someone of his quality to the side to support Maresca’s system with a forward-looking defender that has played across the backline. Hume is within the 98th percentile for players in volume of tackles made and 94th for aerial duels won.
The Northern Irishman has a strong sense of danger, charges attackers down, and wins most of the challenges he makes. Sunderland would want a lot for the player, but with those leaving LCFC, there will be room for the Foxes to work with in bringing in talent. This will be the case especially if Faes leaves, Vestergaard is not extended, and Callum Doyle is not made permanent. Hume is the one.
Finally, we wanted a forward who could play second fiddle or compete for places with both Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu. As such, I would look at one of two players: Samuel Edozie or Jonathan Rowe. Rowe has 12 goals for Norwich City and illustrates technical excellence, explosiveness, and a strikers instinct to get forward. Certainly, a strong case; however, the likelihood of him being on the bench is quite low. Meanwhile, Edozie could be a similar issue, but does have half the goals, so although creative and pacy, the winger may well be a better choice to come on from the bench on either wing.
With Enzo Maresca keen on not allowing repeats of their defeat to Blackburn Rovers or the almost apocalyptic decline in form which almost saw the side retreat from the title, players with quality and depth are critical for Leicester City. These three: Gabriel, Hume, and Edozie would uplift the team, bring goals, save goals, and let us rest key players when needed. Of course, the Italian should also promote several others (Will Alves and Sammy Braybrooke for a start) to avoid having to sign too many players in light of the club’s PSR breaches.
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