Leicester could face yet more transfer misery with Crystal Palace eyeing move for Boubakary Soumare
Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace are keen on a move for Leicester City midfielder Boubakary Soumare.
Soumare has struggled to make an impact at the club after arriving from Lille last summer for £23million, and Leicester would be happy to allow him to leave should an offer meet their valuation.
Making twelve league starts and contributing just one assist last season, Soumare struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, and increasingly found himself left out of Brendan Rodgers‘ matchday squads as the season went on with the club narrowly missing out on European football.
Boubakary Soumare endured a difficult debut season at the King Power Stadium
Monaco had previously been interested in offering the Frenchman a lifeline earlier this summer, but Leicester’s determination to recoup the considerable fee they had paid for the PSG academy graduate appears to have quelled the Monegasques interest.
Meanwhile midfielder Dennis Praet may also be on his way out of the club, with Bruges interested in completing a deal for the 28-year-old.
The Belgium international spent last season out on loan in Italy at Tornio, and has fallen down the pecking order in Leicestershire though he did make a brief cameo in the club’s defeat to Arsenal earlier this month.
Dennis Praet may also be on his way out of the club, with Belgian champions Bruges interested in signing the midfielder
But legendary striker Jamie Vardy has committed his future to the club, signing a deal until 2024
Leicester have endured the quietest transfer window of any Premier League team so far this season, with backup goalkeeper Alex Smithies being the only new signing at the club.
Despite the disappointing lack of new arrivals, Leicester have managed to secure a contract extension for Jamie Vardy, with the 35-year-old signing a deal that will keep him at the King Power stadium until 2024.
Vardy had emerged as a shock transfer target for Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, with the Dutchman looking to strengthen his forward line amidst speculation that Cristiano Ronaldo is prepared to leave the club.
Speculation is ongoing with regards to the future of both Wesley Fofana and Youri Tielemans, with both players being linked with moves away from Leicester.
Leicester pair Wesley Fofana (left) and Youri Tielemans (right) were left out of the starting XI in Saturday’s defeat to Southampton
Fofana is a top target for Chelsea, but Rodgers has held firm on his insistence that the Stamford Bridge club must meet their £80million pound valuation for the 21-year-old before any prospective deal can go ahead.
Tielemans has just one year remaining on his current deal, and is said to be a target for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, though the club have yet to lodge a bid.
Both players were left out of the starting eleven as Rodgers’ side fell to a defeat against Southampton on Saturday. Speaking about their absences, the Leicester boss told Sky Sports: ‘One, a change in system and two, I mentioned in the week, we’re coming into a Premier League game and maybe we’ve got players who are maybe not quite in the right frame of mind.
‘You can’t carry them, or certainly we can’t. So yeah, that’s the reason for the changes.’
