Leicester City are starting to pick up steam in the transfer window when it comes to incomings at the King Power Stadium, with more arrivals anticipated shortly.
Both Bobby Decordova-Reid and Caleb Okoli have now joined the East Midlands club, with the latter of those purchases ditching Atalanta for the new Steve Cooper project in the Premier League.
It might not be the only purchase Leicester make from the Serie A this summer, however, with the newly promoted side eyeing up a lavish move for a dazzling attacker to really strengthen up top ahead of a daunting season in the top-flight.
Leicester readying bid for Juventus gem
As per Sky Sports Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Leicester are looking to put in a bid for Juventus gem Matias Soule this off-season, with the Argentine attacker fresh off a promising loan spell away from Turin at Frosinone Calcio.
Di Marzio states that many teams are now looking at Soule off the back of his exploits away from the Italian giants, with Cooper and Co even readying to put a sum of £21m on the table to try and win the 21-year-old’s services.
Juventus value Soule at a far higher price according to the report, which has resulted in any negotiations between the parties hitting a stumbling block, with Leicester presumably needing to cough up more cash to try and tempt the Old Lady into parting ways with Soule.
Leicester might well have that additional cash in their transfer kitty, owing to the bumper sale of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but this could be a tall order to pull off considering the Foxes are also nearing a separate deal to sign Abdul Fatawu on a permanent move, which will cost significant money.
Still, if there’s a will there’s a way you imagine, with the newly promoted side wanting to flex their muscles in the transfer window, as the attacking positions begin to look more and more frightening at the King Power, especially down the right wing.
What Soule can offer Leicester
Soule could offer direct competition to Fatawu if both captures are pulled off, with the 21-year-old setting Serie A alight for Frosinone even as his loan club’s predicament resulted in relegation from the Italian top flight.
The now former Frosinone forward would bag 11 goals and pick up three assists from his 39 games out on loan, which has led to many Juve fans pleading with Soule to stay, to see if he can finally make the grade in Turin.
|
Soule’s FBRef numbers over the last year vs Fatawu’s |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat – per 90 mins |
Soule |
Fatawu |
|
Non-penalty goals |
0.17 |
0.19 |
|
Total shots |
2.22 |
2.40 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
5.42 |
4.25 |
|
Attempted passes |
44.26 |
37.80 |
|
Pass completion % |
78% |
74% |
|
Progressive passes |
5.71 |
3.71 |
|
Progressive carries |
3.32 |
4.61 |
|
Successful take-ons |
2.94 |
2.88 |
|
Progressive passes received |
6.08 |
12.67 |
|
Stats by FBRef |
||
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Similar in many of their respective attacking statistics, as can be seen glancing at the table above, this could be a fascinating tussle for a first-team place this season to come, with Fatawu itching to start over the South American after playing his part in Leicester’s promotion to the elite level.
The Ghanaian attacker bagged six goals and picked up 13 assists from 40 second-tier clashes, which does better Soule’s Serie A output, with Fatawu more content at setting up his teammates to finish off chances, whilst Soule loves a weaving run that concludes in him powering a shot home.
Described as being both “unpredictable” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, alongside “superb” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Soule could be an effective man to call upon from the bench, to wreak havoc on a tiring top-flight defence.
Either way, Leicester fans will be encouraged by the business taking place, after fearing the worst for the campaign ahead after Dewsbury-Hall’s crushing exit.
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