Enzo Maresca is continuing his rebuild of the Leicester City squad as the start of the new Championship season gets closer.
City look to be closing in on their fifth signing of the summer transfer window with winger Stephy Mavididi looking set to join Harry Winks, Conor Coady, Callum Doyle and Mads Hermansen as new arrivals at the club before the start of the season. The majority could feature in the first game of the campaign against Coventry City on August 6.
The transfer window remains open until September 1, meaning City and Maresca still have plenty of time to continue to shape the squad. One of the names to be heavily linked with a move is Swansea City striker Joel Piroe.
The club were said to be interested in the Dutchman last summer, but self-imposed financial restrictions at the King Power Stadium meant a deal didn’t happen. The striker continued to impress in the Championship, so could a move happen this summer?
The latest
During a Q&A with fans this week, City Correspondent Jordan Blackwell gave the latest on a potential move for the striker.
“I’ve been speaking to colleagues in Wales about this and it doesn’t seem like anything is imminent in terms of Piroe leaving Swansea,” he wrote. “No bids have been submitted for him.
“It seems like the clubs that are keen, and there are a few, have registered their interest, but it’s not gone any further than that. He’s still playing, and scoring, in pre-season.
“There have been suggestions that Swansea may still be trying to figure out a price-tag for him. With Gyokeres leaving Coventry for £20m, when he only had a year left on his deal, as Piroe does, that may convince the Swans they could maybe charge a little more.
“As for City’s stance on it, I can’t see them going all out for Piroe unless one of their current strikers is sold. It looks like Maresca is only going to play with one up front, and then with two wide forwards, so it doesn’t feel like signing Piroe would be a priority while they still have Vardy, Iheanacho, and Daka.”
Potential fee revealed
Piroe is expected to cost around £15 million as Swansea look to get the best price possible for the striker. The Swans were said to be asking for a rice of around £20 million last summer, when City’s interest first emerged. However, that is now likely to reduce due to Piroe having just one year remaining on his contract.
‘Crunch talks’ take place
Swansea are said to be holding ‘crunch talks’ with Piroe over his future this week amid interest from City. The striker has just one year remaining on his contract and is said to have made it clear that he will not extend.
Who else are interested
According to our colleagues over at WalesOnline, City and Atalanta have held initial discussions over a move. Southampton and Leeds United are also said to be interested, but the Saints will have to sell in order to buy, while the striker isn’t currently a primary focus for Leeds.
Piroe is said to be interested in a move based on the attraction of the project on offer, instead of finances. It’s something that could put City in a good position, given Enzo Maresca’s rebuild of the club this summer.
Transfer domino
Swansea could possibly have already planned for a departure of Piroe this summer, with their early transfer business. The Championship side have completed the signing of former Blackpool striker Jerry Yates.
city were previously linked with an interest in the 26-year-old, but he has signed a three-year deal with Swansea. It led to some fans speculating that the Welsh club were preparing for life without Piroe in the upcoming season.
City stepping up pursuit
After 41 Championship goals over the past two seasons, it is not surprising that so many clubs have been credited with interest in Piroe, including Premier League sides Everton and Nottingham Forest, fellow relegated clubs Leeds and Southampton, and Italian outfit Atalanta, who have City’s former recruitment chief Lee Congerton as their sporting director. But it is City who are among the frontrunners.
That’s according to WalesOnline, who say that City have been in touch with Piroe’s camp over the past week as they look to bring in the 23-year-old. You can read more here.
Duff’s pragmatic view
Michael Duff took over as Swans boss this summer and Piroe’s future was one of the first topics he had to deal with. He took a pragmatic view of the situation, and said Swansea were weighing up both scenarios, whether the Dutchman stays or leaves.
He told WalesOnline: “I had some good conversations with Joel at our training camp in Spain last week and he was asking about details of what I want from him. Until anything changes we will keep on having those conversations. If he goes, he goes, and if he doesn’t he stays – it is not personal, it’s football.
“I understand he’s the big name at the club and only has a year left on his contract. There will be plans in place in terms of the way we play if he stays, and plans for if he goes.”
Piroe’s motivating factors
The player himself has discussed his future, back in May, and said that regular football and progressing his development and career are the deal breakers for him. That’s what City must convince Piroe they can offer.
The forward told Eindhovens Dagblad: “Whether I will stay in Swansea for another year? There is a lot of speculation, but it remains to be seen whether something concrete will happen.
“It is nice to hear that clubs are interested. I mainly look at where I can play a lot and continue to take steps as a football player.”
Where Piroe would play
Piroe is a striker by trade and that’s where he has spent most of his time with Swansea, leading the line. But with City well-stocked for strikers as things stand, it would be interesting to see where Piroe would fit in the side, and how his arrival might affect how Enzo Maresca sets up. Could the Italian manager opt for a system that has two strikers, so that Piroe could play alongside either Jamie Vardy or Patson Daka?
But, Piroe has also played out wide. It does not appear to be his favoured role, but it may be a position that City see his future in. Here, we’ve looked at the different formations Maresca could try this season, and where potential new signings like Piroe would fit into the team.
How Piroe arrival would affect squad
City already have three senior strikers in their squad, and so adding Piroe, even if was being looked at as an option on the wing, would likely mean at least one is sold. Between Daka, Vardy, and Kelechi Iheanacho, it would be the latter who is most likely to depart.
The Nigerian has just one year remaining on his contract at the club, and that leaves City in a predicament where they may lose him for nothing in a year’s time. He has been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest.
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