Leicester signed Patson Daka in the summer of 2021, coming in from RB Salzburg for a fee of £23million. The former partner of Erling Haaland and goalscoring machine believed Brendan Rodgers had the ability to coach him to become an even better player.
Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho were both still around and to play all three never really was part of the set up under Brendan Rodgers, not under interim manager Dean Smith and certainly not when Enzo Maresca came in. During pre-season Steve Cooper has started Patson Daka up front vs. Shrewsbury and Palermo, to drop the project at this point, looks a bad idea, seeing an approach for Jordan Ayew as an option.
Last season, Patson Daka had to wait until December to become a regular starter for Leicester, with other payers being preferred, but in some way Enzo Maresca made his mind up and just continued to play the Zambian up front. Daka scored 7 goals in 20 games, not a bad tally of convertion.
Enzo Maresca just put Patson Daka into the team, playing him in a trio up front, mostly with Mavididi and Fatawu at the sides, having support from Winks, Ndidi and Dewsbury-Hall in midfield, but they never played to the strengths of Patson Daka and the key for a good goalscorer is to have that special connection and link up with one or two other players to just get into the positions needed to score goals. He’s got blistering pace, he often starts his runs perfectly, but in some way the team and the other players do not understand or see Patson Daka as a priority. Jamie Vardy is of course the other main attacker alternative, and to have those two is enough, you don’t need a third player who is not up for it. We are expected to see Tom Cannon moving on loan to Championship.
We have seen Leicester linked with Jordan Ayew, not a bad alternative at all, but still coming up against Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy he is more of a link up player and one that has not scored many goals at Premier League level for Crystal Palace. The 32 year old has scored 21 goals in 174 league appearances for The Eagles, and his tally is on almost the same percentage at his former clubs Marseille, Aston Villa and Swansea.
Leicester should stick to their plan to have Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy as their main alternatives for the role up front. If they are lucky in the chase for Reiss Nelson they have a player that can play in the role if needed.
The full focus for Steve Cooper should be to bring in a playmaker. That special man that can open pockets and spaces, as the club need to find a replacement for James Maddison rather than Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Young Liverpool utility attacker Ben Doak has been named as a potential new addition, but it will only appear if the Reiss Nelson loan move from Arsenal is not happening. Doak (18) is a very talented young player, but still not that offensive midfielder the club need at this time.
Leicester was seen as a keen contender for the Celtic midfielder, Matt O’Riley. We cannot really see that a move to Leicester is a step up at this time, having Champions League football to look forward to, and at this point it would look very strange to see him sold as Brendan Rodgers looks to build a lot of faith in him during pre-season. O’Reilly has no previous Premier League experience, as it would be a gamble, but at this point Leicester do not have a player to in real fill that position in full. Late Sunday evening Mail Online reports that Celtic team mate Reo Hatate is on his way to Leicester, strange move if that comes around as Leicester do have Ndidi, Winks, Choudhury and Soumare to cover the same ereas and midfield position, and cannot see Hatate being someone that can lift the quality in that department.
Leicester do have Will Alves as the most natural man to fill it at this point, but he is a young prospect possibly given a chance to introduce himself to Premier League in minor spots, more than being a regular starter. We also believe that Kasey McAteer needs a plan to get into the team in his special way and be introduced to Premier League action rather out wide than in a middle position, but he is also able to do such a job.
We hope for more action in the transfer window next week to see two more signings, and hopefully it will be Reiss Nelson and one attacking midfield option.
Kelechi Iheanacho, being released by Leicester in the summer, looks to have found a new club, moving to La Liga and Sevilla, best of luck to The Senior Man.
Another strange rumour also appeared late Sunday afternoon, linking Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with Leicester, hardly a position were Leicester is looking for new players with Mads Hermansen no longer a target for Chelsea. Sam Johnstone would be a player to consider as the England international would be a good replacement for Hermansen, but with the Dane at Leicester, we cannot see this happening, and reading the article in full, Wolves are the frontrunners.
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