The King Power Club approached deadline day with several players having departed, two significant gaps likely in the senior starting XI, and with additional transfers both incoming and outgoing completed after the window closed.
For Marti Cifuentes, he witnessed a shift in the forward line, along with two midfielders certainly departing (especially with Bilal El Khannouss heading to Germany).
Leicester City’s Zambian Striker
The Foxes’ Patson Daka has been with the team for some time now, having joined when Brendan Rodgers had Leicester contending for European competition.
The expectation then was for our long-term Jamie Vardy successor: a player who might not surpass him, but can step into the role and net goals. After all, with RB Salzburg, the Zambian was highly effective.
That never materialized, and with only a year remaining on his contract and the likelihood of the striker signing a new deal almost nonexistent, this summer window was the final opportunity to sell him and secure a transfer fee.
For Cifuentes, we know he seeks players dedicated to the cause, passionate about the struggle, and free from speculation impacting their mindset. The speculation and fan criticism surrounding Daka’s underwhelming tenure with Leicester certainly doesn’t bolster his position.
It was also evident that the Spaniard had his focus on new attacking options. We’ve heard various rumors about wingers, but ultimately brought in Argentine striker Julián Carranza.
For Patson Daka, who trails Jordan Ayew in the pecking order, the arrival of the new forward and the impending end of his contract strongly suggest Leicester City were prepared to offload him.
However, although Cifuentes might have preferred to move the striker out to end speculation and remove a player with essentially no confidence in front of goal (despite recent strong performances in supporting the attack) from a squad that desperately needs morale and belief to return to the Premier League, finalizing a deal proved challenging.
According to reports, Leicester City faced difficulties selling the player to Real Betis. Apparently, Cifuentes’ side sought only £10m and were unable to secure that amount at the time.
The Zambian remains as a substitute behind Ayew and Carranza following the signing of the Argentine striker. As it stands, the King Power team will miss out on transfer fees next season.