Preparing for their first season back in the Premier League since promotion last season, Leicester City have reportedly opened negotiations to sign a Champions League player for Steve Cooper.
Leicester transfer news
It's been a tumultuous summer for the Foxes, who lost Enzo Maresca and then Kieran Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea in a double blow to kick off their transfer window in the worst way possible. Since then, at least, things have headed in a slightly more positive direction, with the likes of Caleb Okoli and Bobby De Cordova-Reid both completing moves, before Issahaku Fatawu made his loan spell permanent at the King Power Stadium.
After sealing the permanent move following an excellent loan spell in the Championship last season, Fatawu told Leicester's official website: "I feel amazing. It’s so good to be back and I’m just back to focus again for next season. I feel so much motivation to be in the Premier League.
"It’s something new to me. I’m going to go hard for that, with the team. I can’t wait to see [my team-mates]. I’ve missed them so much. They are like a family now. I didn’t think I’d miss some of them, but when I went away, I was really missing them! I can’t wait to see them.”
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He could yet be joined by another winger this summer too. According to Gianluigi Longari of Football Italia, Leicester City have now opened negotiations to sign Alexis Saelemaekers from AC Milan this summer. The Foxes' first proposal has reportedly reached the San Siro, but an agreement is yet to be reached for the Belgian.
With Nottingham Forest also reportedly interested, Leicester have seemingly acted quickly to get ahead of their Premier League rivals in pursuit of the 25-year-old after the Foxes' initial interest was revealed earlier in the week.
"Incredible" Saelemaekers can replace Dewsbury-Hall spark
When Dewsbury-Hall left earlier this summer, he left a gaping hole of quality at the heart of Leicester's side and, whilst he is unlikely to be a like-for-like replacement, Saelemaekers can at least replicate the midfielder's ability to create. Following a resurgent spell at Bologna, who shocked Serie A by qualifying for the Champions League, the winger could now get the chance to help the Foxes avoid Premier League relegation.
If the praise of Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig is anything to go by – dubbing the Milan man as "incredible" – then Cooper could land a player ready to make all the difference come August.
A winger who has Champions League experience and can also play in midfield, signing Saelemaekers would be some coup for Leicester, who would suddenly have two strong options to call upon on the right-hand side. Recovering from their early summer chaos, the Foxes could yet cause some upsets next season.