It has been a quiet summer transfer window at Leicester City with a difficult financial situation restricting their ability to replace club legend Jamie Vardy. The club icon has departed after scoring 200 goals in 500 matches as part of a historic period for the Foxes.
Reports are now circulating that the Championship outfit are in the market for a new attacker, with Patson Daka the only recognised senior number nine in the squad.
Leicester City Require a Replacement for Vardy
There are few players, if any, who can have as big an impact as Vardy did at Leicester City. The 38-year-old leaves with a Premier League, FA Cup, Championship and a Community Shield winning medal, in addition to ranking 14th in the all-time top-flight scorers list.
His work rate and willingness to chase down defenders, coupled with an incredible ability to score goals from any angle, make him a player for the ages. His departure will be a huge blow as he scored nine Premier League goals last season and scored 18 times in the 2023/24 Championship campaign.
Odsonne Edouard has returned to Crystal Palace, leaving Daka as the main man at present. The former Red Bull Salzburg star is an excellent striker, but he has struggled with fitness, and multiple injuries have prevented the player from playing to his full potential.
If he stays fit, Leicester City have a forward who is arguably above Championship level, but he alone cannot be relied upon. There are several attacking options to play behind the main man, but there is a lack of out-and-out strikers, leading to the Foxes targeting a move for Wycombe Wanderers star Richard Kone.
£5 Million Required For Richard Kone Deal
22-year-old Richard Kone has been the subject of interest in this transfer window after an excellent first half of the campaign, where he catapulted Wycombe Wanderers into contention for automatic promotion. Preston North End and Swansea had both had bids rejected, with the latter offering a reported £4.5 million.
The League One club are holding out for £5 million, with Pete O’Rourke reporting that Leicester City have now made contact with Wycombe Wanderers about a move for Richard Kone.
The Ivory Coast native has scored 25 goals in 73 appearances, with 21 of those strikes coming in all competitions last season.
A fee in this range does appear excessive after the forward struggled for form after manager Matt Bloomfield left for Luton Town. 22-year-old Bradley Fink has been drafted in, and the Swiss forward was once prolific in the Borussia Dortmund academy.
He could prove to be a dynamic replacement should Kone depart. If the League One side receives an offer in the £5 million range, it would seem a no-brainer to let the forward leave as he has just one year left on his current deal.
