Leicester City are running out of time to strengthen their squad before the January transfer window shuts.
So far, Leicester’s only signing is Woyo Coulibaly, who arrived on a 4.5-year deal from Serie A side Parma.
The capture of Coulibaly saw Leicester address their right-back issue but Ruud van Nistelrooy still wants to improve three key positions, including a left-sided centre-back, a winger and a forward.
Van Nistelrooy knows that fixing his leaky defence and adding firepower to his attack can drag them away from the threat of relegation.
Several names have been linked as a result, with Leicester eyeing a move for Chuba Akpom from Dutch giants Ajax who was once lauded by Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick.
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Michael Carrick’s praise for Leicester target Chuba Akpom
Akpom’s scoring talents didn’t explode into life till he worked under Carrick at Middlesbrough during the 2022/23 campaign.
Previously, the Englishman had never reached double figures in a single league campaign for any of his former clubs but at the Riverside, he transformed into a machine.
The 29-year-old plundered an impressive 28 goals in 38 Championship appearances as he fired Boro into the play-offs.
It would end in heartache for Akpom and Middlesbrough as they lost to Luton in the play-off semi-final but Carrick still appreciated what his striker achieved during the campaign, hailing his predatory instincts, the sort that Leicester desire.
“Chuba has done great. He’s enjoying himself. He’s found that role where he’s getting a bit of freedom and getting on the end of things in the box, so long may that continue,” Carrick said via the Northern Echo.
“I don’t know, it’s just instinct at times. That’s the beauty of football, we all have different opinions and see different things.
“I just saw something in Chuba to think he might suit that role. I’m not set on a certain system, it’s trying to play to the players’ strengths, and that’s kind of where he’s fallen in and he’s doing great.”
Akpom flourished alongside Cameron Archer in the second half of that season and his exploits earned him a £12m move to Ajax in the summer of 2023.
The Arsenal academy graduate has since averaged a goal contribution every 110 minutes with 23 goals and four assists in 67 games, underlining his clinical edge.
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Chuba Akpom once broke a similar record to Jamie Vardy
Akpom’s development into a lethal finisher in the box somewhat mirrors the path Jamie Vardy went on before becoming a Premier League-level forward.
Vardy was 27 when he first hit double figures in a Championship campaign (2013/14), and that was the age when Akpom truly rose to stardom, as demonstrated by his incredible 2022/23 season at Boro.
The two players have also broken numerous records thanks to their goal-scoring exploits. For instance, Vardy broke Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League games in 2015/16.
Meanwhile, Akpom achieved a similar feat in 2023, smashing the Championship record for goals in successive home matches (9).
The above comparison is just one of several reasons why Leicester must land the Englishman, who could be the key to their survival hopes.