Leicester City are now leading the race to sign a “promising” defender this month, despite interest from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, according to a report.
Leicester now in serious trouble
Leicester are in serious danger of being relegated back to the Championship this season, having now lost their last five Premier League games on the spin, meaning Ruud van Nistelrooy has now started to look at potential reinforcements this January.
Fixing his side’s leaky defence is seemingly one of Van Nistelrooy’s main priorities, and the Foxes are now believed to be keen on signing Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba, who previously played in the Premier League for Newcastle United.
Not only is Van Nistelrooy keen on strengthening at centre-back, but the Dutchman is also weighing up options at right-back, and Kyle Walker-Peters has now emerged as a transfer target, with his Southampton deal set to expire at the end of the season.
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Leicester City racing to sign “interesting” £16m+ defender ahead of Spurs
He’s a man in demand…
Last week, it was reported that Leicester are racing Premier League rivals Tottenham and Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for the signature of Udinese’s Thomas Kristensen, in a deal that could cost £16.5m.
Now, there has been a promising new update on the Foxes’ pursuit of Kristensen, which has clarified they are leading the race for the defender’s signature, while also confirming they are willing to pay the £16.5m price tag.
Van Nistelrooy is clearly extremely interested in the centre-back, with the report claiming the Udinese man is being “literally stalked” by Leicester, and all that remains is for the Foxes to formalise their interest by lodging an official bid.
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Leicester City’s upcoming Premier League fixtures |
Date |
|
Crystal Palace (h) |
January 15th |
|
Fulham (h) |
January 18th |
|
Tottenham Hotspur (a) |
January 26th |
|
Everton (a) |
February 1st |
|
Arsenal (h) |
February 15th |
Kristensen impressing in the Serie A
Analyst Spencer Mossman praised the Dane back in the summer, in light of the start he has made to life in the Serie A since arriving from Aarhus.
The 22-year-old may not be in his prime just yet, but he has put in some impressive performances for Udinese over the past year, using his 6 foot 6 frame to his advantage by ranking in the 87th percentile for aerials won per 90, compared to his positional peers.
It is clear that Leicester need to strengthen in the centre-back department this January, considering they hold the second-worst defensive record in the Premier League.
While signing Kristensen could be a risk, as he is yet to fulfill his potential, his age means he could be a long-term success at the King Power Stadium, and it could be a risk worth taking as the Foxes look to claw themselves out of the relegation zone.
