Hello and welcome to Early Doors Football! With the transfer window well and truly underway, there is only one Premier League side left to do any business: Leicester City. With little money to inject, the East Midlands club is going to be forced into selling before buying; a situation you never want to be in. Given that they are a team that wants to push for European football, the window has been nothing short of a disaster. Undoubtedly, it is a complex situation. Brendan Rodgers had already said publicly that he wanted a “squad refresh”, but that now looks unlikely to happen. I am going to do my best to give him this refresh in my latest rebuild, although this will be more difficult than my previous operations. The Foxes will have to lose some big hitters, thanks to the “sell-to-buy” reality that they face, but we will make the best of these departures. Let’s jump in and see who is going to be on the chopping block.
Departures Unfortunately, there will be some pretty big names heading out the door. In order to give Rodgers the refresh he desires, we are going to need to accrue some substantial funding. With that said, Youri Tielemens will be the first player sold. This is a move that has been rumored all window and is likely to occur, so I will allow it to happen. The Belgian would bring in roughly €50-€60 million, which would give us a lot to work with. Leicester will still have strong midfielders in Wilfred Ndidi, James Maddison, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, so I think this departure is reasonable. Perhaps another midfielder can be added for depth, but I will cover that later in the article. Next out the door will be Caglar Soyunchu. The Turkish center back’s departure may be a bit harsh, but it is necessary. Last season was difficult for him (like most of Leicester’s players in fairness), but his quality is still present, making him a sellable asset. I think he has a similar playing profile to Jan Vestergaard as well, so his departure would allow us to add some variation in that defense. Vestergaard may not be quite at the level of Soyunchu, but I believe he is capable of starting next to Wesley Fofana. Additionally, James Justin can slot in centrally if required, so options do remain. The current situation at Leicester forces us to remove some players that we would not in normal circumstances.
Two players that will be exiting from the forward line will be Kelechi Inheanacho and Ayoze Perez. Inheanacho never quite hit the heights that were expected following his move from Manchester City, and while he has been quality in moments, he is not consistent enough. The recent addition of Patson Daka has added some depth to compliment Jamie Vardy, who is aging like fine wine. He has a lot of potential, so I am prepared to give him more responsibility in this side. Secondly, and for a similar reason to Inheanacho, I am moving Ayoze Perez on as well. He was brought in from Newcastle to play in behind Jamie Vardy, but he never really gelled with the rest of the side. He has only made cameo appearances in the past two seasons, so at this point, there is no way back. This pair of departures should bring in about €25 million, which means we have roughly €110 million to work with.
Now for my favorite part, the new signings.
Arrivals
Leicester City typically play a 4-1-4-1 under Brendan Rodgers, so I am going to recruit for that formation. The most glaring position that needs reinforcement is at right midfield. I am not sure I can even call it reinforcement, as there is no natural right winger. A player that has been linked with a move to the Premier League has been Noni Madueke from PSV Eindhoven, and I think he would be a great signing for the Foxes. The 20 year-old Englishman is a stunning dribbler and would provide a unique flair to the attack from the right flank. With a price tag in the range of €25 million, I think he would be an astute signing. Cheap by no means, but the potential this youth talent presents could overshadow his price tag over the coming years. He has also played a handful of games through the middle for PSV, so he could potentially play off of Vardy or Daka if there were a change of system.
Next, to help bolster the midfield, I am going to bring in Seko Fofana from RC Lens. Following the stunning season he had last year, he is ready to make the jump into the Premier League. In the previous campaign, he found himself in the upper echelon of many attacking creativity categories. This addition would provide more attacking cover, as he could play Maddison’s more advanced midfield role, thus allowing Maddison to shift out wide if needed. Fofana is a fantastic progressor of the ball through his dribbling, while also having a great creative output. I think his driving runs would be extremely useful on counter-attacks, especially with the likes of Vardy and Daka running in behind. His dynamism on the ball would be very useful, however he would not really take the place of Tielemans, as ball retention and circulation are not his strengths. The Ivorian would set us back roughly €30, but he is worthy of the investment.
To try and mimic Tielemans ball retention, I am going to bring in a player who may be a bit of a punt. With Dewsbury-Hall still present and lively, I am willing to take the risk, as the competition could push both of the players to new heights. Even so, Dewsbury-Hall proved himself last season, so I reckon he could take the starting role if my experiment were to fail. Currently in exile at Barcelona, Riqui Puig would be happy to make the move to the Midlands. Xavi has long considered him out of his plans, and with the Spaniard heading into the last year of his contract, he will be a bargain price. I personally do not understand how he has been frozen out of Barcelona’s side, but with the plethora of midfielders they have at their disposal, I suppose someone had to leave. He is absolutely lovely on the ball; exactly what you would expect from a La Masia graduate. Because of his limited minutes, most of his statistics are skewed, so it is more important to have watched him play. Puig is exceptionally tidy on the ball, fantastic at retaining the ball, but also not afraid to make a risky progressive pass or carry the ball forward. I genuinely think this would be a fun signing, and with him set to leave for as little as €3 million, it is worth a shot.
Lastly, I want to add another center back. While the backline is respectable, especially at full back, centrally they could be stronger. With Manchester City reportedly closing in on Pau Torres, a certain Nathan Ake may be looking for more consistent first team football. Partnered next to Fofana, Leicester’s defense would become formidable in possession, while still defensively solid. Ake has also shifted out to left back when necessary, which is a much welcome attribute in a team that is this thin. Again, a player who will not be cheap, but his experience in the Premier League makes his price tag appropriate. While there is around €10-€20 million left in our budget, I think we need to think longer term. It is a smart idea to save those funds for the winter transfer window, as injuries or tactical changes may require that we recruit further. It is unlikely that any more cash is injected into the club in the meantime, so saving some of the profits for January is a clever move. With all our signings made, let’s look at how the team will line up.
Starting 11
I’ve provided both Rodgers’ typical 4-1-4-1, as well as a 3-5-2, which could be an alternative lineup depending on the tactical makeup of the game at hand. There is a solid mix of players in the squad, so I think there is a lot of flexibility if the manager is so inclined. Both lineups will be strong in possession thanks to additions like Puig and Ake, while Fofana and Madueke add a lot of attacking flair. The 3 at the back formation would better utilize the fullbacks as well, as they are both dangerous in the final third, especially Ricardo Pereria.
Well, that is all! Hopefully these new additions have given Rodgers the refresh he desires and brings in enough quality to help them challenge for European football. It will be a tough battle with the likes of West Ham, Wolverhampton, and Brighton ready to challenge for a finish in the top half.
As always, feel free to reach out with any feedback or recommendations you may have. Thanks for reading and have a lovely day!
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