The latest West Ham United transfer update could hand Leicester City a clear run at one of their summer targets.
After securing promotion to the Premier League, Steve Cooper has been working hard behind the scenes to prepare Leicester City for the 2024/25 season.
Owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has backed his new manager in the transfer market, signing four first-team players so far.
Issahaku Fatawu, Caleb Okoli, Michael Golding, and Bobby De Cordova-Reid have all made moves to the King Power Stadium, and further additions are expected.
Leicester are interested in taking Ben Doak on loan from Liverpool for the upcoming season.
Leicester are set to make a ‘big-money offer’ for Celtic star Reo Hatate, who could be a replacement for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Leicester have also opened talks with Arsenal for Reiss Nelson ahead of a potential loan move with an obligation to buy.
Now, the Midlands outfit appear to have been handed a boost in pursuit of another target.
West Ham transfer decision is boost for Leicester City
With Jamie Vardy 37 years of age and Kelechi Iheanacho having left the club on a free transfer, Cooper is short of options in attack.
Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew was linked with Leicester earlier this week but the Foxes have also been credited with interest in another target.
French outlet L’Equipe reported on July 30th that West Ham United and Leicester had started the process to secure the signing of RC Lens striker, Elye Wahi.
However, it now appears as though the Hammers have already changed their striker target.
This comes with BBC Sport reporting that West Ham have held talks with Borussia Dortmund to sign Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug.
West Ham are unlikely to be able to afford both Fullkrug and Wahi, and even if they could, Julen Lopetegui would struggle to fit both stars into his eleven.
As a result, Leicester now appear to have a clear run at signing Wahi in the current window.
Elye Wahi could solve Leicester attacking problems
Leicester finished the 2023/24 Championship season as the second-highest scorers in the division.
However, the departures of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iheanacho, coupled with Vardy’s age, means Cooper’s side have a very limited attacking threat right now.
Finding a quality goalscorer can often prove the difference in a side avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
The aforementioned Ayew is probably not the man Leicester should be looking at to fill this role, but Wahi could be.
The 21-year-old has plenty of potential and enjoyed a prolific 2023/24 season for Lens.
Wahi scored 12 and assisted four in 37 matches in all competitions, including two in six Champions League appearances.
The striker has also earned high praise from Thierry Henry, who recently dubbed him as ‘special’, as per the Express.
He said: “Elye is special. Lens loves to play with their wing-backs – we are going to talk about how he stayed away from (William) Saliba.
“You will see that you don’t need to break your neck. He will beat you to the first post. Stay in a good position between the two lines, Frankowski sees it and Wahi does that to a tee. He can finish so well.”