Leicester turn down chance to sign Premier League star with club set to announce arrival of £3million alternative
Yesterday at 10:33 AM
Leicester are poised to announce the £3million signing of Parma right-back Woyo Coulibaly, talkSPORT understands.
The Foxes are yet to bolster their squad this month in the club’s quest to avoid an immediate relegation back to the Championship.
The Midlands outfit have turned to the 25-year-old after deciding against a move for Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters.
Walker-Peters – in the final six months of his deal at St Mary’s – has been linked with a January exit.
The Saints have slapped a £7m asking price on the 27-year-old, but their valuation was deemed as too expensive by Leicester.
Ongoing concerns around the club's PSR compliance is believed to be a strong factor in their decision not to pursue Walker-Peters further – despite him being available for a cut-price fee.
As a result, Ruud van Nistelrooy's side have turned to Coulibaly following an impressive Serie A season so far.
Leicester have been keen to bolster their backline having endured a tough first half of the season – finding themselves languishing in the Premier League's relegation zone.
They have conceded 44 goals across the first 20 games, the joint-second most in the division.
Plenty of fingers have been pointed at the full-backs, with James Justin in particular coming under mounting scrutiny.
The one-cap England international has suffered multiple long-term injuries and looks shot of confidence on Leicester's right side of defence.
Some of the goals stemming from Justin's side have been down to a lack of defensive support from Leicester's other players, but many fans have seen enough, with calls for Justin to be removed from the starting XI growing louder each week.
Ricardo Pereira was Leicester's go-to right-back during last season's Championship title run, but an injury to the Portuguese defender has left Justin the only recognised right-back in the squad.
As such, recruitment for a replacement has been high on Leicester's agenda, with the club now closing on the signing of Coulibaly from Parma.
Coulibaly has featured in 14 Serie A matches this season – chipping in with two assists.
Leicester continue to walk a fine line between wanting to strengthen their squad in a bid to escape the drop, and not creating further financial pressure for themselves, especially with relegation becoming a real possibility this season.
The club do have bankable assets in Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and summer arrival Bilal El Khannouss.
But there would be a clear reluctance to part ways with either at the season's midway point, with survival still very much the objective.
