With Esteban Cambiasso yet to sign a new contract, the club’s top target seemingly holding out for a better deal and injuries plaguing their current midfield crop, Leicester City have cause for concern as the new season approaches.
Cambiasso is a central figure to Leicester City’s fortunes for the upcoming season. He was instrumental in the Foxes’ survival last term and is a player of great pedigree. Deservedly, he was also voted Leicester’s player of the year. Unfortunately, Cambiasso is now a free agent and is yet to sign on for the East Midlands club, reportedly attracting interest from West Ham, Aston Villa, Besiktas and an array of South American clubs. Leicester, however remain confident that the Argentine will sign a new deal, despite speculation surrounding his future.
An offer is apparently on the table from Leicester, and until recently the reason cited for the 34-year-old holding out on signing a was the lack of certainty over the club’s new manager. Claudio Ranieri, however, has since been appointed to the role and has also previously worked with Cambiasso during their time at Inter Milan. If he does not re-sign with the club soon, one could assume that he will not be lining up for the Foxes for the new campaign.
If Cambiasso does not sign with the club, it would not only mean the loss of the team’s best player, but would also deplete the already thin stocks in midfield. Aside from Cambiasso, Leicester only has three available midfielders to choose from. Danny Drinkwater, Andy King and Dean Hammond are the only other players currently available for selection following Matthew James’ knee surgery. While King in particular was a valuable contributor throughout Leicester’s campaign last season, it is hardly a line-up that will strike fear into their Premier League opposition.
Leicester has moved to address this weakness but with little success to date. They have a well-documented interest in SM Caen’s N’Golo Kante and the two clubs have reportedly agreed to a fee. Kante, however, is supposedly holding out for an improved offer from Marseille, who have previously bid much less than the figure offered by Leicester.
As Kante drags his heels, Leicester have also lined up a bid for Nice’s Nampalys Mendy should the deal fall through. However, the weight that should be attributed to the rumour is questionable at this stage, as it may also be a way in forcing Kante’s hand considering the deal has stretched on for some time now.
Leicester has also reportedly shown interest in two of Chelsea’s youngsters. Nathan Ake, the versatile 20-year-old, who can play in midfield and anywhere across the back four, is highly rated and an affordable option, apparently available on loan for the entire season. The catch for Leicester, however, is that they will face stiff competition for the Dutch under-21 from the like of Newcastle and Aston Villa.
The other Chelsea player linked is Oriel Romeu. The forgotten holding-midfielder has had loan spells at Valencia and VfB Stuttgart since signing during Andre Villas-Boas’ tenure at Stamford Bridge in 2011. Romeu represents an ideal option for the Foxes, able to shield a back four that conceded too often throughout the previous campaign. The Spaniard is still only 23 and would continue to develop with Premier League experience. However, the difficulty will be prying him away from Stuttgart, where he is quoted to be “really happy”.
At this point in time, both the Leicester hierarchy and the supporters must be biting their nails. The club are in a dire need to sign at least one or two of the players mentioned, and the two most sought after (Cambiasso and Kante) are seemingly looking for a better option.
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After a bright finish to last season, Leicester has endured a tough off-season. They have been embroiled in a sex-tape scandal involving their youth players, subsequently sacked their coach and now face uncertainty over the personnel available. Hopefully, for the club’s sake, the appointment of a new manager should provide incentive for the likes of Cambiasso and Kante to sign the dotted line.
It is clear that the club are desperate to bolster their midfield, which will do them no favours in the transfer market in searching for a bargain – a problem exacerbated if Cambiasso seeks employment away from the King Power Stadium. Leicester’s negotiations for players are likely to continue deep into the transfer period, which is never ideal for a team preparing for a Premier League season. If the likes of Cambiasso, Kante or Mendy sign with the Foxes, they will have some fantastic talent at their disposal. If they do not, Leicester should be deeply concerned at their chances of their survival.
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