Leicester City’s ideal deadline day revolves around a deal they shouldn’t do.
It is a surprise that September has arrived with Kelechi Iheanacho still at City, but that he is here now means the club should ensure he’s here tomorrow too.
Enzo Maresca’s system works best with the Nigerian in the striker role. He provides a focal point for the wingers, midfielders, and even the defenders to find, allowing City to move the ball into the final third, knowing that Iheanacho’s hold-up play will ensure it stays there.
Once he’s done that job, he makes himself a threat in the final third. His vision and weight of pass is superb for a striker, while his goals record shows he knows where the net is too.
These attributes should have seen Premier League clubs come calling for Iheanacho the moment City dropped down a division, particularly with only one year left on his contract. But talk of Nottingham Forest and Everton interest quickly subsided and it all went quiet until clubs like Crystal Palace, Wolves, and West Ham emerged as potential suitors over the past week.
Offers may be made on deadline day and while it would take a bid close to £20m to get City to part with Iheanacho, the club’s supporters, and maybe even Maresca, will hope that doesn’t tempt them.
Earlier in the window, it would have made sense. This is the penultimate chance for City to get a fee for Iheanacho, with the final one in January, provided he doesn’t sign a new contract.
But now it doesn’t. City would have barely any time to sign a replacement, especially as it would be close to impossible to find a player for the same fee who could do everything Iheanacho does and would agree to join a club in the Championship.
The best available alternative to Iheanacho was Joel Piroe. He has proven he can perform in the Championship, has a similar play style to the Nigerian, but is also young enough that he has room to improve and could step up with City if they make it back to the Premier League. But he’s now swapped Swansea for Leeds, and so is off the market.
Right now, it does not feel like there is any striker City could get that is able to fire them to promotion like Iheanacho can, and a return to the Premier League is worth far more than £20m.
But while an ideal deadline would see Iheanacho stay, there are players City need to move on. Maresca has made his mind up on certain members of his squad and it is no good to the manager, the club’s promotion prospects or the players themselves if they stick around.
A happy, tight-knit squad is what is needed and so getting Patson Daka, Boubakary Soumare, Harry Souttar, and Daniel Iversen out of the door is preferable.
As for incomings, a defender is what Maresca wants and it would help City out to have one more player who can operate in either of the wide roles in the back three, especially with a contender for that position in Timothy Castagne sold this week.
City will also need replacements if either of Dennis Praet or Wilfred Ndidi are sold. While Ndidi has shown he can make a difference in his new position, making some money on him and then bringing in a more natural advanced midfielder on loan, such as Manchester City’s James McAtee, would be smart business.
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