Saint Etienne accept Leicester City bid for Wesley Fofana

UPDATE: Done deal!

We’ve known all summer long that Leicester City were looking to add another CB to the fold. It would’ve helped to get it done before Wilfred Ndidi was forced into emergency duties, but it looks like they’re about to get it done.

The Foxes have had three separate targets: James Tarkowski of Burnley, Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen and Wesley Fofana of Saint Étienne. After several round of negotiation, it seems they’ve settled on the young frenchman.

AS Saint Étienne has reached an agreement with Leicester City, current Premier League leader, for the transfer of Wesley Fofana. The decision to sell the player for a record amount was taken collectively by the Management Board and the shareholders - official announcement, translated from French (and twitter)

Most reports suggest the initial fee is somewhere in the region of €35m, with another 5m in add ons.

It’s a sizeable fee for a CB, let alone one who won’t necessarily be expected to start this season, but the price represents his potential as much as current ability.

While Tarkowski, or even Tah, would have been lower risk options and probably of more immediate value to the first team, we have Evans and Soyuncu already in place. A young player who can develop behind Evans and eventually take his place is ideal.

The 19 year old is particularly strong in the air, which lines up well with the Foxes’ needs. Since Maguire left we have been lacking a certain presence from set pieces, and there’s no doubt Fofana can bring that.

Alongside Cengiz Ünder and Timothy Castagne, it’s another move that fits with the club’s policy of bringing in players pre-peak and developing them into stars.

If this is it, it rounds out a very slow but ultimately very impressive looking transfer window for the Foxes. They needed a fullback, a winger and CB and have brought in very exciting prospects at all three spots.