Opinion: Key stat highlights poor transfer decisions made by Leicester City chiefs during the summer

Leicester City has had a tough start to the 2024/25 Premier League season, with just one win so far, leaving them in 15th place, only three points above the relegation zone.

Their much-needed victory against Bournemouth before the second international break came at a critical time.

There was speculation that Steve Cooper’s job could have been in danger if the Foxes hadn’t secured all three points against the Cherries.

Leicester’s struggles this season stem largely from summer transfer decisions, which have made Cooper’s task much more challenging going forward.

Leicester City’s Struggles Highlight Transfer Issues

Several players have underperformed in the early stages of the 2024/25 season, and there is a clear pattern among them.

According to Sofascore, the five lowest-rated Leicester players this season were all signed by Cooper during the summer transfer window.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid has been the lowest-rated player, with an average score of 6.34.

He is joined by fellow summer signings Bilal El Khannouss, Jordan Ayew, Odsonne Edouard, and Oliver Skipp.

In contrast, the only successful arrivals before the Premier League campaign, according to the stats, have been Caleb Okoli and Facundo Buonanotte.

Both players have achieved a more respectable average rating of 7.05 between them.

Attacking Woes for Leicester City

What’s particularly concerning for Leicester is that four of their five lowest-rated players are attackers.

This highlights a significant problem for the Foxes, who have struggled to add an extra dimension to their attack under Cooper.

Apart from Buonanotte, who played a crucial role in the 1-0 victory over Bournemouth, Leicester’s new signings have failed to make a meaningful impact up front.

This lack of attacking threat is a major concern for the team moving forward.

The club’s hierarchy is largely responsible for this situation, as their poor transfer decisions in the summer have left Cooper with a newly-formed front line that lacks confidence and consistency in front of goal.

As a result, Cooper faces a much tougher job in turning Leicester’s season around.