Leicester City have now gone a number of weeks without making a signing with the opening game of the Premier League season against Tottenham Hotspur just two weeks away.
Steve Cooper has welcomed four arrivals at Leicester City this summer, but it feels like a long time since new blood was added.
Michael Golding, Caleb Okoli and Bobby De Cordova-Reid have all signed, whilst last season’s loanee Abdul Fatwau has made the move permanent.
After a 1-0 defeat to Augsburg in Germany on Saturday, Leicester have now lost their past two pre-season fixtures by the same scoreline.
One of the club’s new players was one of the few positives against Augsburg, with De Cordova-Reid standing out, but further reinforcements are certainly needed ahead of the start of the season.
- READ MORE: Bobby De Cordova-Reid one ‘bright spark’ for Leicester City as Steve Cooper drops hint over role
Steve Cooper reveals Leicester City transfer frustration
Whilst it is sometimes unwise to read too much into pre-season results, two defeats on the bounce with just one friendly left prior to the start of the Premier League season is concerning.
The fact Jamie Vardy now looks set to miss the beginning of the campaign has only served to add to those woes.
In the wake of the Augsburg defeat, Cooper admitted that attacking recruits are top of the list of priorities whilst also revealing a frustrating week in the transfer market.
Cooper explained in an interview posted on the club website: “We want to add players to the squad, particularly at the top end of the pitch. That’s what we’re trying to do. We were so close to getting a few in this week that haven’t quite worked out. So we’ll move onto the next ones.
“We know where we want to strengthen, we know where we want to improve. If we can improve a starter in the team, we’ll do that, and we know we need to strengthen the competition in some places as well.”
The Welshman went on to add: “We’ll be working hard on the pitch. We’ll be working hard off the pitch to try to bring players in. Hopefully we’ll continue to improve and progress and be ready for that first game.”
Leicester miss out on key target as Matias Soule joins Roma
One of the players Cooper is likely referring to is 21-year-old winger Matias Soule.
After an impressive season on loan at Frosinone from Juventus, Leicester were very interested in securing the signing of Soule and made their interest concrete with a £21 million bid.
However, the player made the decision to stay in Italy by signing for AS Roma, leaving the Foxes frustrated at their failed pursuit of a player who would have added real quality to the attack.
- READ MORE: Three players who Leicester City must now consider as Matias Soule issues clear transfer intention
It now looks as though Leicester have turned their attention to Watford winger Yaser Asprilla, with a similar fee to that offered for Soule touted.
Cooper will hope to get Asprilla through the door without any last-minute issues as Leicester look to change their luck in the transfer market this summer.