Yahoo News Leicester City transfer state of play as Steve Cooper assembles signing strategy
With a new manager in place in Steve Cooper, Leicester City can now start really building for the start of the new Premier League season - and that means transfer activity is on the way.
Here we take a comprehensive look at all the latest links in and out of the club as the new boss looks to shape his own side ready for the new campaign.
City are said to be one of nine clubs eyeing Rennes left-back Adrien Truffert for a summer transfer. City have been listed by L’Equipe as one of the sides keen on the 22-year-old as Rennes prepare to receive offers for him now he’s entering the final two years of his contract. Also credited with interest are City’s Premier League rivals Aston Villa, Fulham, and Bournemouth, as well as European giants Lyon, Monaco, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, and Benfica.
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If Truffert’s name sounds familiar, this is not the first time he has been linked with City. Two years ago, going into the summer of 2022, L’Equipe reported that enquiries had been made to Rennes over Truffert’s cost, with City having faced him twice in the Europa Conference League a few months earlier.
It’s understandable why clubs would be interested in Truffert. Despite his age, he has plenty of experience, and is excellent going forward from full-back, registering an impressive 14 assists over the past two seasons. Those qualities would be reflected in his price, with a fee of more than £17m likely required, given Villa had a bid of that amount rejected not too long ago.
It seems unlikely City would be too keen, especially at such a price. They have two full-backs more than capable of starting in the Premier League in Ricardo Pereira and James Justin, while they also have Victor Kristiansen returning from a loan spell at Bologna.
With Luke Thomas and Hamza Choudhury in the mix as well, City are well-stocked for full-backs. In a summer where cash is tight, there are far more pressing concerns. Truffert is likely to only become a consideration if one or both of Justin and Kristiansen are sold.
Bologna make 'cheeky' £10m offer
On the whole, Victor Kristiansen's 2023/24 campaign was a success as he featured in 32 Serie A matches whilst on loan with Bologna, who qualified for the Champions League. With their admiration thought to the high, there was even a €15m (£12.6m) option to buy inserted into the deal should they wish to sign the defender permanently.
So will they pay that figure? No, say Corriere dello Sport. They report that the Italians hope to reneged on their contractual option and offer up €11-12m (£9.2-10.1m) instead as they seek a 'strong discount'.
PL trio tussle for Tammy Abraham
According to Leggo.it via Vocegiallorossa.it, Leicester City are amongst a group of three Premier League clubs hoping to acquire Tammy Abraham's services this summer.
The ex-Chelsea striker has endured an injury-hit year with AS Roma now seeking to move him on after three years in Serie A. The Foxes along with Aston Villa - who he has spent time on loan with in the past - and West Ham United reportedly hold an interest.
£15m offer prepared
Someone who has piqued Leicester's interest for some months now is Sean Longstaff of Newcastle United. The midfielder has one year left on his contract.
Ultimately with his current club wary of the situation and ready to cash in, the has culminated in The Mirror claiming that a £15m bid is currently being lined up for the 26-year-old.
New Wilfried Ndidi offer on the table
Approaching the end of his King Power Stadium contract at the end of June, Wilfried Ndidi's future remains unresolved.
The defensive midfielder could remain with the Foxes as discussions are ongoing, however the Nigerian is not short of suitors. TEAMtalk claim rivals Everton are in the process of finalising their own contract offer, hoping the 27-year-old elects for a change of scenery in the English top-flight.
Interest in defender cools
Spanish-born Irish defender Anselmo Garcia MacNulty is thought to be building interest across the continent, with Voetbal International naming City as one of the clubs who had been tracking the 21-year-old's progress.
Although according to their latest report, if MacNulty is to depart PEC Zwolle this summer it will likely be to elsewhere as the Foxes' promotion to the Premier League has caused them to look at other targets.
Leeds United instead are thought to be circling closely
Abu Kamara stance
The Portsmouth News have mentioned City as one of a number of English sides that have tracked Norwich City's Abu Kamara. The 20-year-old scored 10 goals and recorded 11 assists whilst on loan at Fratton Park last season.
With that said, Pompey - who were hoping for a permanent return - along with the Foxes, Brentford and Stoke City are all set to be disappointed as they report that his parent club will do all they can do keep the winger heading into the new campaign.
What's happening with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall?
Brighton’s move for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in January was a bombshell. Out of nowhere, it emerged that Leicester City were in talks with the Seagulls over the potential sale of their star man, and with just a few days remaining in the transfer window.
City fans were not pleased. They felt Dewsbury-Hall’s departure could be the undoing of their promotion bid. Thankfully, then, no deal went through, with the two clubs too far apart in their valuations to even make the transfer viable in the end.
But what those January talks primed supporters for was the possibility that Dewsbury-Hall could leave in the summer, the midfielder’s future remains a hot topic. Here’s the latest as things stand.
What’s the situation?
The boost to finances that comes with promotion usually allows clubs heading up to the Premier League to keep hold of their best players, but City are in a spot of bother of Profit and Sustainability Rules. If they are to stay within the EFL’s spending guidelines, they need sales before the end of June.
Dewsbury-Hall is both their most valuable player and their most profitable. As a graduate of the academy and therefore in the books at next to nothing, his sale would be ‘pure profit’, and would significantly increase the club’s chances of complying with the financial regulations.
But even if City move other players on to solve PSR and Dewsbury-Hall is at the club come July, that doesn’t mean he is definitely staying. All but one summer over the previous eight years, City sold a key player to help fund their transfer business. Dewsbury-Hall could be that man.
Who is interested?
While it was Brighton that City discussed a transfer with in January, they were not the only club keen. Brentford, Fulham, and Arsenal were also listed as interested parties.
Since then, more clubs have come to the fore, and Chelsea have even been linked with the 25-year-old. A reunion with Enzo Maresca feels too convenient to be true, but if Conor Gallagher is sold at Stamford Bridge, Dewsbury-Hall makes sense as a potential replacement.
And more clubs might come forward. Speaking on the final day of City’s season, Maresca had expected Premier League clubs to show an interest once their once campaigns had finished and they had their plans for the summer sorted.
What may weed the clubs out is City’s price tag. They were said to want upwards of £30m back in January, and that’s not a fee that every Premier League side is going to pay, particularly when PSR is biting a few of the mid-sized clubs.
What has he said about his future?
Speaking at the club’s awards do, in which he was named player of the season and players’ player of the season, Dewsbury-Hall could not have been clearer. He said: “I’ve got intention of leaving.”
Growing up in Shepshed and at the club since the age of eight, Dewsbury-Hall has a strong connection to the club. He has spoken about his sense of duty in getting City back to the Premier League after their relegation.
This poses an intriguing problem for City. All of the big-money sales of recent years have involved players who wanted to go. Some, like Wesley Fofana, did their utmost to force it through. It’s perhaps a trickier situation to navigate when the player wants to stay.
How would the deal affect City on the pitch?
In selling Dewsbury-Hall, City would have a lot to replace on the pitch. No player contributed to more goals as City won the Championship, the midfielder scoring 12 goals and providing 14 assists. But beyond that, he also gave the team energy and driving carries with the ball up the pitch. City will really miss him.
But they will especially do so as he could be the only player remaining in the attacking midfield positions. Of the four other players City used in two number eight roles last season, Cesare Casadei went back to Chelsea, Yunus Akgun is not returning from Galatasaray, Dennis Praet has been released, and Wilfred Ndidi may choose to turn down the club and sign a contract elsewhere. If Dewsbury-Hall was to leave on top of that, City would need a few transfers in the same position, or a different style of play.
Old target linked
A centre-back tipped for the Premier League by Brendan Rodgers four years ago is a transfer target for Leicester City, reports in Portugal say.
Porto defender David Carmo has been linked with City, Wolves, and Nottingham Forest this summer. His stock has risen in recent months after he played a significant role in Olympiacos’ Europa Conference League triumph during a loan spell in Greece.
The 24-year-old played every minute of their nine knockout stage matches as Olympiacos defeated the likes of Fenerbahce, Aston Villa and Fiorentina to lift their first-ever European trophy. The Greek giants have the opportunity to sign Carmo for €18m (£15.2m) but that may be beyond their means, and that has opened the door to English clubs, Portuguese media have said.
He’s a player who has been on City’s radar for some time. In fact, when Carmo was just 21, he was highlighted by Rodgers ahead of City’s Europa League match against Braga, the defender’s former club.
Rodgers said: “He’s a young player who is doing very well. His profile is very good, he’s tall, he’s aggressive. He can play very well. Portugal has always produced fantastic players who can come into the Premier League once they’ve had their development here in Portugal. He may be the next one to arrive in the Premier League.”
What may attract City to Carmo is that he’s a left-footed centre-back. While City have plenty of options for the new manager to consider, with Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, Wout Faes, Harry Souttar, and Ben Nelson to choose from, all five are right-footed.
Deals expiring in 2024
There’s now only one senior City player whose deal runs out at the end of this month. The club have said they are in talks with Wilfred Ndidi over a new contract and hope to convince the Nigerian to stay.
It seems he may be keeping his options open as he heads towards free agency, and there’s likely to be plenty of interest given the levels he’s reached in the past. The manager they appoint and their plans for Ndidi could be a factor in whether he stays.
Players tipped
City need to think about sales and balancing their books to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules, they must also plan for signings.
Their squad needs strengthening to help their battle for Premier League survival, especially if they are hit with a points deduction. Smart recruitment is a necessity this summer.
Signings before July and the start of the new accounting year seem unlikely, but that has not stopped bookmakers tipping City to target a few of the big names expected to be on the move this summer. Here, we analyse three players that William Hill have City in the running for and whether they will be at the King Power Stadium come September.
Kalvin Phillips
City are currently 5/1 third favourites to sign the Manchester City and England midfielder, behind Everton and his former club Leeds. Phillips had a torrid time on loan at West Ham and it certainly feels like the 28-year-old needs a new permanent home to get him back to the form that saw him establish himself as a regular starter for the Three Lions.
But that home seems unlikely to be at the King Power Stadium. In the position Phillips would play, at the base of the midfield, City already have Harry Winks, and he’s expected to be one of the first names on the teamsheet come August.
City also have Hamza Choudhury as Winks’ deputy, and they are in talks with Wilfred Ndidi over a new contract, with the Nigerian potentially returning to a defensive midfield role in the new season. If City are going to strengthen in midfield, they need forward-thinking options, and so a move for Phillips would be a surprise.
Matt O’Riley
This seems a lot more like it in terms of what City will be craving this summer. But O’Riley has had such a good season with Celtic that he may be out of their league.
In 49 games across all competitions, the midfielder registered a hugely impressive 19 goals and 18 assists, helping the club to the league and cup double and earning their player of the season award. Such a campaign has not gone unnoticed.
City are among a glut of clubs at 10/1 or shorter to sign the 23-year-old, with Atletico Madrid, West Ham, Newcastle, Inter Milan, and Tottenham all supposedly in the running. Such competition, and a rumoured price tag of £25m, mean City may not stand a chance of bringing the Danish international to the King Power Stadium.
Sammie Szmodics
City conceded twice to Szmodics on the final day of the season as he secured Blackburn’s survival and clinched the division’s top scorer award. It was an incredible campaign for the Irishman, with 33 goals across all competitions.
Such a scoring feat means transfer interest, and it will be interesting to see which clubs are in for the attacking midfielder, given he’s never had a season even close to these levels before, and given he’s now 28 and approaching his peak. Blackburn are said to be demanding between £15-20m for his transfer.
Signing the best players from the Championship is a classic move for a promoted club, and City certainly need to bolster their ranks in attacking midfield. They’re currently at 8/1 to be Szmodics’ next club, with West Ham, Everton, and Galatasaray at shorter odds, but it may be that City look for a cheaper, younger player to strengthen in that area.
Deals expiring in 2025
City will be in the same position with Jamie Vardy next summer as they were this summer, with the club icon’s contract expiring. By then, Vardy will be 38 and the likelihood of City signing up for a season where he turns 39 seems slim. But Vardy has insisted his legs feel good and if he bags plenty of goals in the upcoming season, City may feel his story shouldn’t end there.
The new manager will have their own thoughts on the goalkeeping pecking order, but even so, Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen may find it difficult to factor into their plans. Both were out of favour this past season, and both now enter the final 12 months of their deals, signalling potential moves away this summer.
Lewis Brunt could exit too, with the defender targeted by Mansfield, where he excelled on loan this past season. That leaves Kasey McAteer. He made plenty of good contributions as City won the Championship title and he looks a prime candidate to get a new contract.
Deals expiring in 2026
There are 10 City players who have two years remaining on their deals, including plenty of key players. Even without Enzo Maresca in charge, Ricardo Pereira and Harry Winks are likely to be important to City’s success in the upcoming campaign, and they are only 30 and 28 years of age respectively, and so should still have plenty to offer in two years’ time.
James Justin is also set to play a significant role, and as an England international at a good age, City are unlikely to want his contract to run into its final 12 months, so a new deal before next summer feels possible. However, he is one of the few players in the squad that City could make a profit on, so amid concerns over Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), his immediate future is not certain.
Jakub Stolarczyk, Sammy Braybrooke, and Wanya Marcal look to have bright futures ahead of them and as long as they continue to show signs of fulfilling their potential, the club will want to keep them around. The same will be true of Will Alves, but the expiry date of his contract is unknown.
Patson Daka faces an interesting summer. He nearly left last year before earning his place back and featuring regularly over the second half of the season. But how does he feel about his future now? And what will the new manager make of him?
There has been speculation around the future of Conor Coady already this summer after he featured less often than expected in the season just gone. He’ll be 33 when his current contract ends.
Decisions are also required this summer on Boubakary Soumare and Luke Thomas. They spent the past year out on loan, and it will be up to the new manager to decide if they can be reintegrated back into the squad.
Deals expiring in 2027
While City may not be in a strong position regarding PSR, therefore increasing the likelihood that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be sold this summer, they are at least in a strong position over his contract. With three years remaining on his deal, that should raise his value in the transfer market.
Wout Faes is another City could make profit from and he too is on a lengthy contract. His centre-back partner Jannik Vestergaard now has one of the longest deals at the club after signing up last week.
Two players who signed deals during last season are also tied down to 2027. While the future of Hamza Choudhury beyond the next three years may not be certain, City will hope that Ben Nelson is well on his way to fulfilling his potential by then.
Deals expiring in 2028
Three of the five players on the longest contracts at the club barely featured last season. Victor Kristiansen had an enjoyable campaign out on loan at Bologna and his future at City is something that will need to be determined this summer. That’s true for Harry Souttar too, the centre-back out of favour under Enzo Maresca. And City fans did not see as much of Tom Cannon as they would have liked, albeit, at just 21 years of age, he was signed as a player for the future.
Stephy Mavididi will be a regular for City in the Premier League, and supporters will hope Mads Hermansen is too. Early signs suggest the Danish goalkeeper could be the club’s number one for years to come, but equally, his qualities both in shot-stopping and with his feet may mean he is targeted by bigger clubs.
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Calm season ahead?
Ricardo Pereira considered leaving City last summer but stayed to help their fight back to the Premier League and where they “deserve” to be.
The Portuguese international was a key player as City claimed the Championship title, taking on a hybrid role in Enzo Maresca’s set-up and playing more minutes than he managed in the past three seasons combined. But he has admitted he nearly departed.
Offers were on the table for Ricardo, but the desire to play his part in City’s return to the top flight, plus the impact of Maresca, convinced him to stay put. Now he’s looking forward to the battle for survival.
The right-back told Marca in Spain: “There is no single explanation (for City’s relegation). It was many things combined. We started badly in the league, confidence plummeted, and it is not easy to change that dynamic. We managed to come back, but suddenly the World Cup arrived in the middle of the season and we went down again.
“We tried to change things. In your head you think: 'There are many games left, we have a good team.' You think it's impossible for it to happen, but it happened and it was very hard. It was a very big shock, especially after the recent successes we had achieved.
“I received some offers (last summer) and my idea, at first, was to leave, but the pre-season began and my head, little by little, clicked. I saw something different. I liked the team, the new manager.
“Also, there was a part of me that wanted to return Leicester to the place they deserved. It’s taken a weight off my shoulders. It was important to move up to the Premier League.
“I am calmer than a year ago. The return (to the Premier League) is going to be difficult, but I am excited. We have a team that, if we do things well, can have a calm season.”
Transfer blow
City linked defender Trai Hume insists he is happy to stay at Sunderland next season.
Hume was originally connected with the Foxes by the Belfast Telegraph, who also suggested Napoli, Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Leeds are considering a move for the 22-year-old.
The full back, who can operate on the right or the left, played every one of Sunderland’s Championship games last season, starting 45, his second full campaign at the Stadium of Light.
His commitment to the Sunderland cause have made him a favourite with the club’s supporters – and also won admirers further up the pyramid. However, he told the Telegraph : “I think I could play in the Premier League. You have to keep yourself at a high standard and you want to push yourself as much as you can.
“That’s the level I want to get to but I’m happy enough at Sunderland and happy where I’m at and I’m really enjoying my football. If a move happens, it happens and if doesn’t I’m happy to play for Sunderland.”
The Northern Ireland international is said to have a sell-on clause in the deal he signed when he joined the Black Cats from Linfield in 2022, entitling his first club to 15 per cent of any transfer.
Ballymena-born Hume has also made the breakthrough at international level and has six caps for his country but is playing down the speculation. “I try not to think about it. I let my agent deal with all that stuff and until they come to Sunderland and offer money I don’t pay too much attention to it.
“I played in every single game last season so that’s a positive and I think I did well throughout but we didn’t finish where we wanted to finish and stay high up the table. Coming in this season we’ll have a new manager and hopefully we can get ourselves where we want to be.”
Hume was thrust into the headlines in February when he was substituted by Michael Beale towards the end of Sunderland's 2-1 loss to Birmingham City. Hume reached out to shake his manager's hand but Beale blanked him and was forced to issue an apology after intense criticism from the club's fans.
City didn’t really have a settled situation at right back last season, with Ricardo Pereira playing most but Hamza Choudhury also contributing as Enzo Maresca preferred a ‘midfield-type’ option who would come infield when the team was in possession.
On the left James Justin and Callum Doyle played, with Wout Faes also filling in on occasion. The left back would often tuck in to form a back three. This summer they could see Denmark international Victor Kristiansen reintegrated after his loan to Bologna.
Steve Cooper could ramp up interest in defender he knows well
City have been named as part of a group of English clubs currently tracking the situation of Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon.
Whilst on loan with Leeds United, the 26-year-old impressed in the second tier as he helped Daniel Farke's side to a 90-point haul. Unfortunately for them that was not enough to challenge with Leicester or Ipswich Town, who took automatic promotion to the Premier League, and ultimately their season ended with play-off final defeat to Southampton.
Rodon is to return to parent club Spurs over the summer, and with one year remaining on his contract will seemingly have a big decision to make, say our sister site football.london.
They report that despite his 2023/24 performances, the Welsh international remains out of Ange Postecoglou's plans moving forward. This would mean a permanent exit is on the horizon, with Leeds interested in bringing the player back to Elland Road for good.
However, just as they were pipped to promotion by the three aforementioned clubs, it is claimed the Foxes, along with Ipswich and Southampton, are all under the impression he is ready for top-flight football and are therefore signalling their interest in the defender.
In Leicester's case any transfer talk may seem a bit previous whilst there is no named manager of the club, however this latest update suggests a switch to the King Power Stadium could happen regardless of whoever is in the dugout come August.
Firstly, he is said to have been a target for the club's recruitment team before Enzo Maresca's unexpected departure to Chelsea. Steve Cooper - has worked with the man in question at previous club Swansea.
As for Leeds, the price of failure in last season's Championship race could extend to missing out on a man who is said to have 'loved his time' at the club. Premier League interest partnered with the financial impact of remaining in the second division are two huge factors that suggest they will simply be unable to compete for his signature this time around.
