Leicester City become only PL team without a signing: Time to panic?
By Joel Edkins
Where do no-transfer Leicester need to strengthen?
Areas of supposed strength for Rodgers concerning capable numbers in certain positions run thin. Full-backs on both flanks could be considered top of the list with at least two fully-fledged representatives at his disposal.
Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy are on paper enough up front but considering Vardy’s injury record last season and the other two’s inability to fill the void left by the Leicester talisman, in an ideal world reinforcements would be drafted in.
Although, with just over a month and a half left of the transfer window, luxury signings may fall by the wayside. It is worth noting the club’s inactivity isn’t strictly by virtue of a lack of finances.
Despite Rodgers admitting prior to the end of last season that they wouldn’t be able to compete with newly in-the-money Newcastle and Aston Villa, Leicester simply have too many players on their books.
Jordan Blackwell of the Leicester Mercury reports that, at present, the Foxes have 33 players that would need to be registered in their 25-man Premier League squad – players younger than 21 don’t need to be registered.
Ayoze Perez, Dennis Praet, Hamza Choudhury, Caglar Soyuncu, Boubakary Soumare, Papy Mendy and Youri Tielemans are the senior members linked with an exit but none are in advanced talks to do so at this time.
In regard to the key areas of concern, aside from the obvious need for a centre-back, both wings and central midfield are toward the top of the list of priorities.
Ademola Lookman impressed in spells on loan from RB Leipzig last season but it is unclear whether Leicester wish to pay the £14m asking price to sign the Nigerian international to a permanent deal.
A left winger by trade, Lookman’s return to his parent club means Rodgers is now short on both sides which could bear fruit for a potential reunion.