What Leicester City Must Accomplish Before the Transfer Window Closes

Leicester City has experienced a busy summer transfer window so far, with seven new players joining the Foxes.

Bilal El Khannouss is expected to be the eighth new arrival.

Meanwhile, the club has also seen some significant departures, most notably Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s transfer to Chelsea.

With just over 24 hours remaining until the August 30 transfer deadline, there could still be a lot of activity for Steve Cooper’s team.

Let’s explore what the final day of the transfer window might look like for Leicester City as they aim to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

Leicester City Aiming for a New Number Nine

One of Leicester City’s key priorities this season has been signing a new number nine.

With Jamie Vardy now 37 years old, Patson Daka sidelined with a long-term injury, and Tom Cannon seemingly not in the club’s plans, reinforcements are urgently needed in the striker position.

While Jordan Ayew has recently been signed to bolster the attacking options, he is not expected to start every match.

The Foxes have faced challenges in securing a forward this summer; targets such as Adam Hlozek, Wilfried Zaha, and Santiago Gimenez were linked but did not end up joining the club.

Fotis Ioannidis has also been mentioned as a potential target, but with Panathinaikos reportedly demanding around £30 million for him, Leicester may find the asking price too steep.

Offloading Squad Players for Financial Stability

Financial prudence has been a necessity for Leicester City this transfer window due to concerns over profit and sustainability regulations.

The sale of Dewsbury-Hall and the departure of manager Enzo Maresca have somewhat alleviated these pressures, but the club still has several high-earning players who are not contributing significantly on the field.

One such player is Boubakary Soumare, who reportedly earns £80,000 per week, making him one of the club’s highest earners.

With Wilfred Ndidi and Harry Winks as the preferred midfield options, and Oliver Skipp likely ahead of Soumare in the pecking order, his future at Leicester appears uncertain.

Other players such as Tom Cannon and goalkeepers Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen also face limited first-team opportunities.

Selling these players before the deadline could help reduce the wage bill and generate some last-minute funds.

Loaning Out Youth Talent for Development

Leicester City has effectively used the loan market in recent years to develop their young talents.

Players like Ben Chilwell, Harvey Barnes, Hamza Choudhury, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all gained valuable first-team experience while on loan before making significant contributions to the Foxes.

Currently, Leicester has several promising talents in their academy who have been integrated into the first-team setup but still need more experience.

Sending players like Ben Nelson and Will Alves out on loan is crucial for their development, providing them with regular playing time and exposure to senior-level football.

Sammy Braybrooke has recently been loaned out to Dundee, and if more youth players follow, it would be considered a smart move by Leicester to prepare their young prospects for future roles in the team.

With the transfer deadline approaching, Leicester City is poised for a hectic finish to the window, focusing on strategic signings and sales to bolster their squad and financial standing.