Steve Cooper’s favorite who would be the perfect move to Leicester City

Steve Cooper is now the new manager of Leicester City, undergoing a recruitment process that has lasted more than two weeks following the departure of Enzo Maresca to Chelsea.

Reaction to the news was mixed, with Cooper’s final few months as a Premier League manager characterized by rough football and an inability to find the right selective responses. That they came to rivals Nottingham Forest will not sit well with a few.

The effect of the Reds’ disappearance was to obscure the fact that most of his time at the City Ground was quite remarkable. Not content with lifting Forest from the bottom of the Championship, he guided them into the play-offs and on to Wembley glory.

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Then handed a squad and a half of new players in one summer, he somehow put together a squad convincing enough to stay in the Premier League – something beyond all three of last season’s promoted clubs. The thing is, it wasn’t all bad – far from it – it was mostly good.

Inevitably, Cooper’s attention will now turn to building a new side at the King Power Stadium, whether he decides to build on or tear down the foundations laid by Enzo Maresca will be interesting, it’s a decision that will have huge ramifications for the profile of City’s players. try to login in the transfer window.

Moving away, at least to some extent, from Maresca’s methods will require the addition of a genuine genuine back. Maresca largely did without one last season, preferring a midfielder who could step into midfield, leaving a back three when City had possession – which he did a lot in the second tier.

That luxury may not be open to the Foxes this time around, and a more defined full-back may be needed – leaving Cooper to look for an option or three and potentially tempted to call on a player who has been an inspirational presence in Forest’s promotion team.

Djed Spence played 39 times for the Reds in 2021/22 and earned a reputation as an effervescent defender who was keen to fly forward but not averse to his defensive duties. He did so well that he made the EFL Team of the Season and the PFA Team of the Season. So well, Tottenham paid Middlesbrough £20 million for his services.

Unfortunately, as he went south so did his career and he has spent the last two campaigns on loan, doing enough in half a season at Genoa last season for the Italians to consider taking him back. Indeed, Spurs appear desperate to offload the 23-year-old and some outlets say the deal is close.

This is where Cooper and City could jump in and hijack the transfer. Cooper appreciates Spence and Spence makes no secret that the Welshman was the best of him, recently telling The Athletic

“Steve Cooper is a good person, he understands people. He is a great coach, he understood me as a player and as a person, that was very important. He worked for the youth of England, he had that experience of younger players and people coming from different backgrounds. background and knowing how to handle certain players – that played a big part in that. He let me be me.

“With Cooper, he’ll make you feel confident, he’ll ask you questions, he’ll talk to you like a normal human; which plays an important role in football. We don’t just go to work and push a button, we just function and play. We’re human, we like interaction, we like to talk.”

Tottenham want to sell, the player loves the City manager and he could fill a hole that Maresca never seemed too concerned about. Like the Cooper appointment, it might not be a transfer to set the pulse in the race, but it could still work out for everyone involved.

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