Opinion

Leicester City could sign 89-goal striker once tipped to replace FC Barcelona icon on free transfer

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Leicester City can still improve their squad this season in a bid to mount a late survival push.

Leicester City clash with Brentford in this week’s Friday evening Premier League tie.

Paul Merson predicted the game recently and even the most optimistic fan probably isn’t expecting much.

The Bees smashed Leicester 4-1 in their previous meeting just a few days before Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge of his first match.

While the Foxes have shown signs of improvement against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal since then, results remain very poor.

And with Leicester’s January transfer window a disaster, Van Nistelrooy may now wish to look to the free-agent market to strengthen in the remainder of this season.

Defence has been the main problem area for Leiceser in 2024/25, but some extra firepower up front, especially with Odsonne Edouard so poor, would not go amiss.

River Plate v FC Barcelona - FIFA Club World Cup Final
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Leicester City can sign 89-goal striker for free

Aside from Jamie Vardy, the Foxes’ centre-forwards have been woeful in front of goal this term, especially in the Premier League.

Patson Daka is struggling at Leicester this season and as already mentioned, Edouard’s signing was so pointless.

But there are a couple of decent free-agent strikers still available to the Foxes, one of which is Maxi Gomez.

Gomez last plied his trade in Turkey with Trabzonspor, whom he left on August 19th, 2024, and has been without a club since.

Still only 28, he should be in the prime years of his career and has had a solid goal-scoring record throughout his career.

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What Leicester City fans need to know about Maxi Gomez

The forward began his playing career in Uruguay with Defensor SC before securing a move to Celta Vigo in 2017.

After excelling in La Liga, the South American was being backed to replace FC Barcelona and Liverpool icon Luis Suarez in the Uruguayan national team, something he commented on, as per ESPN, in 2018.

Gomez said: “[Suarez] is my idol. I admire him a lot for the way he works. People in Uruguay say that I am going to be his successor in the national team, and I hope that will be the case.”

His career is still yet to reach the heights of Suarez but with a return of nearly one goal every three matches, he would be an upgrade on most of Leicester’s current options and, crucially, is available now.