Leicester battling to sign “fantastic” striker before February 3 deadline

After getting back to winning ways with victory over Tottenham Hotspur last time out, Leicester City have now reportedly set their sights on signing an attacking reinforcement before Monday’s deadline.

Leicester transfer news

The Foxes have more than just hope in their battle to survive at the first time of asking since returning to the Premier League. In fact, they’ve even got the advantage after shock defeat over Spurs left Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s side one point above the dropzone and currently on course for safety.

Those at The King Power are not stopping there though. Recent reports have suggested that the Foxes are still on the hunt for further reinforcement to increase that gap to far more than just a point and secure safety once and for all.

On that front, names such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have threatened to steal the headlines with Leicester among a number of Premier League clubs eager to welcome the Besiktas midfielder back to the Premier League. He may not be the only one that the Foxes welcome back to English football, however.

According to De Telegraaf in the Netherlands, as relayed by the Leicester Mercury, Leicester are now battling to sign Chuba Akpom before the transfer deadline on February 3.

Holding concrete interest in the Ajax forward, Leicester could finally hand Akpom his Premier League chance almost two years on from his Middlesbrough exit after they failed to secure promotion.

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The Foxes may have a difficult choice to make about one of their players before the transfer window closes.

Now 29 years old and a player with plenty of experience following a mixed Ajax spell, Akpom could make all the difference in Leicester’s battle to secure their top-flight status.

There’s no denying that another forward would instantly ease the responsibility on 38-year-old Jamie Vardy, who is enjoying an extraordinary campaign at such an age.

“Fantastic” Akpom must get Premier League chance

Akpom has looked destined for Premier League stardom more than once throughout his career, with frustrating failure at Arsenal eventually culminating in a Championship campaign remember at Middlesbrough before he chose Ajax over a Teesside stay. Now, Leicester could hand him the chance to make it a third-time lucky and steal the headlines on England’s grandest stage.

After Akpom became the first Boro striker to score 20 league goals in a single campaign in over 30 years in 2023, manager Michael Carrick told reporters as relayed by ITV: “It’s a terrific achievement. It’s not easy to score that many goals. He’s scored all different type of goals for us since I’ve been here. I thought his performance was fantastic.

“He gets credit for his goals but his performance all round was terrific. And because we have threats in different areas, he ends up getting a bit more space. To score that many goals, hopefully he can carry on and set a new target for himself.”

Whether English football finally gets the answer to the question regarding Akpom’s ability to replicate his Championship success in the Premier League remains to be seen, but Leicester may be wise to take a gamble before the deadline.