We are doubting Leicester City here but look how that worked out for us last season.
While most football fans are focused on Euro 2016, the Premier League champions are quietly going about their business and strengthening their squad. Only today they announced the signing of Sporting Gijon central defender Luis Hernandez:
BREAKING: #lcfc to sign Spanish defender Luis Hernandez on a four-year deal – https://t.co/b8mjE2xELp
⚽️🇪🇸📝 pic.twitter.com/fjxBveCVjn
— Leicester City (@LCFC) June 21, 2016
Now that their profile has gone through the roof, The Foxes have found themselves linked with a host of players across the continent of Europe.
Claudio Ranieri’s number one priority is retaining his star men from last season. Riyad Mahrez is reportedly inclined to stay on for Champions League football while N’Golo Kante is not entertaining transfer notions until after Euro 2016. Jamie Vardy has been approached by Arsenal but, as of today at least, he remains a Leicester man.
Ranieri is well aware that his squad needs adding to and, with the extra European games in the 2016/17 fixture list, is keen to get experienced heads in.
It was no great surprise, then, to learn that Leicester had made a bid for Watford striker Troy Deeney. An offer of £15m was flat out rejected and a second bid of £20m met with a similar result.
Deeney played his first ever season of Premier League football, last time out, and scored 13 goals in 38 appearances. The previous 10 years of his career were primarily spent in the Championship but there have been stints in League One, Two and the Northern Premier League [on loan with Halesowen Town].
Deeney turns 28 next Wednesday but could yet be another late developer in the elite English division, as Vardy has proved was an achievable feat over the past two years.
Perhaps Leicester blinked too soon between their first and second bid – upping it £5m. Watford are in no desperate need to shift Deeney on but they may be tempted by a third bid, according to The Telegraph, of £30m.
Take the money and run.
