Leicester City Transfer News and Rumour Roundup

The summer transfer window is not only open, but thoroughly underway for Leicester City, who completed their second signing last week, bringing in former West Brom captain Jonny Evans.

The Foxes also lost 3rd choice keeper Ben Hamer on a free transfer to Huddersfield and announced that Robert Huth has been officially released, along with two 21 year olds in Josh Debayo and Dylan Watts.

Still, we all know 4 moves doesn't make a summer these days so the rumours are continuing to pour in thick and fast. We’ll try to keep you as up to date as possible, with weekly recaps of all the main talking points. For now, most of the rumours fall into the speculative category, but expert more to move into the more likely categories as the window progresses.

Speculative

Brendan Rodgers

We’ll start with the most bizarre, I suppose. Leicester have a manager, Rodgers has a job at Celtic. I expect this one to die down soon, but it’ll pick back up really fast if either of those factors changes.

Hiroki Sakai

The Foxes are one of three Premier League teams linked with the Marseille right back by the Evening Standard. This rumour did come after the Pereira signing, but it would be odd for the club to spend upwards of £10m on two different players at the same position.

Marcus Rashford

Now here’s an interesting one. The Daily Mail have suggested that we’re competing with Newcastle United and Everton to bring the young England striker in on loan, though it’s a little unclear whether United would be interested in loaning out a player who made 35 league appearances last year. Rashford also doesn't have an immediately obvious fit here as at forward starved clubs like Newcastle, but a player of his quality should always be welcome.

Xherdan Shaqiri

The Swiss international has been regularly linked, is sure to be available this summer and fits a clear (soon to be) gap in the first team. There’s been nothing concrete, though, and Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, among others, are also apparently keen.

Another Goalkeeper

The Leicester Mercury have this week speculated that, with Hamer gone, the club could start looking at the list of goalkeepers they were linked to last year, such as Man United’s Sam Jonhstone.

Wes Morgan

The captain has been linked with a possible move away after Evans’ signing, but nothing close to concrete has been suggested.

George Thomas

The young attacking midfielder is highly regarded by the club and only arrived a year ago, so a transfer is unlikely but a loan would make a lot of sense and Birmingham City are interested, according to the Birmingham Mail.

Abdulkadir Omur

Early in the week, A turkish newspaper claimed City had made a £25m bid for the young winger, apparently dubbed “the Turkish Messi”. The general director of Trabzonspor has since denied that a bid has been received, but did admit that an offer of that amount would be considered.

Shinji Okazaki

Mexican outlet El Sol believe Pachuca may be interested in signing the Japanese international (according to the Leicester Mercury). Here ends my knowledge of Mexican football news (apologies for being so European).

Islam Slimani

It seems likely that Slimani won't be coming back, and a return to Newcastle would be surprising. Rumours are swirling with landing spots such as Fenerbahce and Sporting, but for now there’s nothing clear cut.

Strong Rumours

Jack Grealish

Aston Villa’s failure to gain promotion, and subsequent financial difficulties, have hugely increased the likelihood that Grealish leaves this summer, and the Foxes are a frequently mentioned target. It’s hard to determine exactly where they are in the race for his signature with so many other clubs involved.

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

The Independent reported the price has been set at £30m, but other sources say as much as £40, so this could very well depend on how much can be made from Mahrez.

Patrick Roberts

Another highly rated young winger, Roberts’ situation may also depend heavily on Mahrez. He was reportedly offered as part of Man City’s January bid for Mahrez, and many outlets are saying the same things now.

James Maddison

Norwich’s Maddison rounds out the list of 22-and-under year old english wingers linked with a move to the King Power stadium, and is my personal favourite. The 21 year old made the Championship team of the year this season and the Mirror believe that Leicester and Everton are each willing to pay about £25m for him.

Given the overlapping skill sets of these three, and the likes of Gray and Diabaté already present, it seems unlikely that we’ll be signing any more than one of these guys.

Looking Likely

Christian Fuchs

Less of an immediate transfer, and nothing new either. The Austrian’s contract runs out next summer, and he’d like to play in MLS. His family lives in New York already.

Riyad Mahrez

One day, we’ll be able to let this one go. According to the Mirror and the Mail that day may be soon with a deal “close” for a fee in the region of £75m.

We have been here before though.