Leicester City will rekindle interest in their €7 million January transfer target

Leicester City are set to renew their interest in Gabriel Pereira as Enzo Maresca looks to strengthen his squad for next season’s return to the Premier League.

The Foxes have an interesting summer window before they join England’s elite as it becomes clearer what the club’s capabilities are in the transfer market. On the one hand, Financial Fair Play (FFP) will loom as a dark shadow, while on the other, there is a need to keep Maresca happy and solve some of his issues on the recruitment side.

Smart transfers will therefore be a must, and City are understood to be looking at the Portuguese again as they look to make their first addition of the summer transfer window.

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According to Italian publication Tutto Mercato Web, centre-half Gil Vicente Pereira is a priority target for the East Midlands club. They explain how Maresca requested the player’s services in January, but with his current club struggling for safety in the Portuguese League, rejected a loan offer on the condition City were promoted.

With their status secured, Vicente will have more leniency for summer departures and will now demand €7m to complete a deal for the Brazilian. However, in the space of a few months, Leicester now find themselves in a potential battle as Benfica, Braga, Lyon and Udinese are now credited with interest.

At 24, Pereira has made 112 appearances at club level. His ability with the ball on both feet has helped him average a pass completion rate of 85.1 percent per 90 minutes with a progressive average distance of 365.6 yards, and is just one of the reasons his talents have been recognized in Leicester and across the continent.

Finally, central defense is an area that simply needs to be addressed this summer, even if this signing is not part of the final plan. Jannik Vestergaard’s contract is due to expire, Callum Doyle’s 2023/24 loan will expire and Harry Souttar will eventually be given a route out of the club, so there will be voids to fill.

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