Leicester City latest: Ndidi transfer touted, Liverpool and Boca Juniors duo linked and Iheanacho defended | OneFootball

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Leicester City had suffered back-to-back defeats before the international break, allowing Ipswich Town to close the gap on them at the top of the Championship table.

The Foxes restored a small advantage on the Tractor Boys though this past weekend, as a Jamie Vardy brace against Watford led City to a 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium to extend their lead to three points over Kieran McKenna's side.

And the fixtures will be coming thick and fast for Enzo Maresca's side as they have to take on both Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion this week - let's take a look at the latest news coming out of the club ahead of that double header.

Iheanacho defended from criticism by ex-Leicester defender

There was perhaps a lot of surprise among Leicester fans when the summer transfer window shut in September that Kelechi Iheanacho was still at the club.

The Nigeria international striker was linked with numerous sides in the summer months, and with less than 12 months on his contract remaining there was a sense that he would depart.

However, the 27-year-old has remained and has scored five times in 17 Championship appearances, but he will sometimes be criticised by supporters for looking lazy in his effort levels.

Ex-Foxes defender Matt Piper has rushed to the defence of Iheanacho however, and said that it is just his style of play.

"I would never say that he is not putting all in - I think he does; I think it is just his style," Piper told the When You’re Smiling Podcast.

"We have joked in the past that he watches the planes fly over the King Power.

"But he does have that puppy kind of a dog character to him and it is very endearing.

"Even when he is playing his best, he looks laid back."

Liverpool youngster on Foxes' radar

Jarell Quansah has had somewhat of a breakout few months for Liverpool, having spent the second half of last season on loan in League One at Bristol Rovers.

The 20-year-old made his Reds debut at the end of August and so far has made nine appearances for Jurgen Klopp, but when every centre-back at the club is fit he will be fifth choice.

And with the January transfer window arriving soon, Leicester are one of the clubs keeping tabs on Quansah, along with Championship rivals Preston North End, per The Sun.

However, with Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard striking up a solid partnership and both Conor Coady and Harry Souttar as backups, there's perhaps no desperate need for a new central defender when the market re-opens.

Turkish giants plotting Ndidi swoop

Another player who remained at Leicester past September in another surprise was Wilfred Ndidi, who a few years ago was touted as one of the Premier League's top defensive midfielders.

The Nigerian had a disappointing season in 2022-23 though, and despite clubs being linked, a transfer was not completed.

According to Turkish sports reporter Haldun Domaç though, Ndidi could soon be on his way to Galatasaray.

Gala wanted Ndidi in the summer but went for Tanguy Ndombele instead, but they now have a vision to send the French midfielder back to Tottenham Hotspur and instead bring Ndidi in in his place, which they will try to do in January, where he will have just six months remaining on his Leicester deal.

Leicester brought Enzo Maresca in from Man City as their new head coach before the current campaign began, and the Italian has a good relationship with his former boss Pep Guardiola.

Maresca was able to loan in Callum Doyle in the summer window, and according to Alan Nixon via Patreon, he could be benefitting from that relationship once more.

That is because per Nixon, the Premier League champions plan to sign Argentinian left-back Valentin Barco from Boca Juniors and then loan him straight to Leicester.

19-year-old Barco is a versatile left-sided player who can play at left-back or on the wing, and if Guardiola and Man City land the teenager and then let him spend the second half of the campaign in the Championship, then it could be a real boost to their promotion hopes.