Leicester City’s transfer would come with three risks – but could be the game-changer they need

Roma battle to sign Juventus player for fee in excess of £25m – Leicester City are back in the big leagues. If City were to meet Juve’s asking price for Matias Soule, it would be their biggest signing since Wesley Fofana arrived for £30m four years ago.

There are conflicting reports coming out of Italy at the moment about whether the 21-year-old would prefer to stay in Serie A or move to the Premier League. Perhaps helping City’s cause is Caleb Okoli, his team-mate on loan at Frosinone last season, who can now sell Seagrave and Steve Cooper to the Argentine.

Because if City are able to bring in Soule then he could be a game changer. It feels like one of their signings needs to fit in this summer.

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That is not to dismiss the arrivals of Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Michael Golding and Okoli, nor the new deal for Wilfred Ndidi. All these deals look like good deals.

But it doesn’t feel like any of them are game changers. City are one short of those now Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has left and must buy one for Steve Cooper this summer. He needs Morgan Gibbs-White.

Having players with exceptional individual skills does not automatically make a team better. City had plenty of brilliance scattered around their squad when they went down two seasons ago.

But what a game changer can do is turn a decent team performance into a win. City will need to play well as a unit to pick up points next season. But if Cooper can get the team to a place where they can match some of their opponents, those game changers will occasionally come in handy and produce a point of magic to earn wins.

City already have several players in this category. The returning Abdul Fatawu is one. Stephy Mavididi is hit and miss, but when it’s a hit, it’s definitely a game changer too. Jamie Vardy’s ability to be one is probably waning a bit, but you can’t count him out.

If Soule were to come and play something like he did for Frosinone, he would definitely be one. Despite playing for a side in relegation battle and despite only being 20 for most of the campaign, Soule finished last season as Serie A’s leading chance creator. He completed more more tackles and carries in the final third than any other player and was second for passes in the penalty area. He has a very bright future.

So what would the risks be? First, he spent most of his career playing as a right winger, cutting off his left foot. With Fatawu back, City don’t need a starter in that position.

Soule has indeed played inside in a more central role at times, but he will still move to his natural position. What City need is a man in the middle, so they should be more diligent in their positioning. It would be detrimental to the team’s fortunes to stand in Fatawu’s way.

The other risk is price. At £25m or more, City would be spending a significant amount of their budget. They would be putting a lot of eggs in one basket, which can be dangerous. It only takes one injury to be a problem.

Finally, there is his inexperience. He started 41 senior football games in his career. Although it was very good, this is a small sample size.

The argument is that Fofana had barely had a full season of senior football when he joined City in a big-money deal, but he made an immediate impact and continued his trajectory, leaving for more than double his arrival fee, despite a serious charge. injury. There would be no reason why Soule can’t follow the same path.

There is no doubt that City are up against it. They are newly promoted, have lost their manager and best player and are likely to receive a points deduction. But a signing like Soule would give their survival hopes a real shot in the arm.

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