Manager Steve Cooper faces a daunting task as he assumes his role at Leicester City, having taken over late in June. Despite winning the Championship, Leicester’s transition to the Premier League has been tumultuous. Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea, prompting the club to also part ways with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for £30 million. Following these setbacks, the team stabilized somewhat, focusing on new signings after the June 30 PSR deadline, which necessitated Dewsbury-Hall’s sale.
Michael Golding, Caleb Okowi, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, and Abdul Fatawu, who spent last season on loan, have secured permanent deals. The club’s attention now turns to bolstering four key positions.
One area of focus is a wide attacker, despite Fatawu’s expected permanent arrival following a prior agreement with Sporting Lisbon. While Fatawu himself is a winger, Leicester aims to add depth with AC Milan’s Alexis Saelemaekers, who impressed during a loan spell at Bologna last season.
According to Calcio Mercato, interest in Saelemaekers is high among Premier League clubs, with Leicester among the suitors alongside Nottingham Forest. Milan appears open to negotiations for a fee ranging from €10-15 million (£8.4-12.6m).
However, Leicester must prepare for a challenging season ahead, potentially battling relegation in their return to the top flight. Therefore, signings must significantly elevate the team’s performance, particularly in attack, to compete effectively.
Saelemaekers, 25, contributed four goals and three assists in 32 games last season. Despite these modest numbers, statistical analysis suggests he may not be the ideal solution for Leicester’s wing requirements. According to FBREF, Saelemaekers ranks poorly in several key attacking metrics compared to his peers in Europe’s top five leagues. His non-penalty expected goals and expected goals plus expected assists per 90 minutes place him in the 12th percentile, while his shots per 90 minutes and goals per game metrics are similarly unimpressive, ranking in the 8th percentile and delivering just 0.19 goals per game. His touches in the opposition penalty area are also lacking, placing him in the bottom 8% among comparable players.
Given these statistics, Cooper should consider alternative targets who offer greater effectiveness in the final third if Leicester aims to secure their Premier League status.
