Leicester City should consider moving for 1 of these 5 Premier League players | OneFootball

Leicester City will be hoping this summer consists of rebuilding their squad ahead of another Premier League campaign, with the Foxes holding all the cards in the race for the automatic promotion spots.

Enzo Maresca’s side have stuck to their task valiantly at the top of the Championship table, as they look for an immediate return to the top table after dropping down a division last season.

If they are to make the step back up, they are going to need reinforcements to their squad, with experience and quality around the side essential in the quest to maintain their status in the first division once they reach the promised land.

There will be a whole raft of players they would like to entice towards the King Power Stadium in the off-season, but here are just five that we think should be in the mix once the summer transfer window opens.

Josh Brownhill

Josh Brownhill’s contract elapses with Burnley at the end of the season, with the creative midfielder likely to leave Turf Moor once the current campaign comes to a close.

The former Bristol City man would be the perfect asset into a newly promoted side, with his energetic performances in the middle of the pitch earning himself plenty of admirers during his time in Lancashire.

The Clarets are said to have an option of extending Brownhill’s contract for another year, but with Wolves already said to be interested in the 28-year-old, his head may have already been swayed by a move away in the summer.

With City’s influential midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall said to be attracting plenty of admirers - including Brighton and Brentford - making a move for someone who can influence a game higher up the pitch is imperative for the Foxes over the summer, and Brownhill could be the perfect fit.

Elijah Adebayo

With a number of strikers reportedly out of contract at the King Power Stadium this summer - including Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy - Maresca will need a number of players to fill the void at the business end of the pitch should the duo move on.

Vardy has been influential in the current campaign with a number of crucial strikes to keep his side in the promotion hunt, while Iheanacho has found game time limited after a flurry of four goals in four games in October.

With the need for a new focal point to the attack, the Foxes will be looking at affordable players who can find the back of the net on a regular basis at Premier League level, and in Adebayo, there is a player that could be worth real value in the summer.

The Luton Town man has found the net on numerous occasions this season as the Hatters fight to avoid the drop, and ranks highly in the goals/90 statistic for the whole division, with the likes of Mo Salah and Son Heung-Min for company.

If the Kenilworth Road side fail to avoid the drop, making a move for Adebayo could be a nifty bit of transfer business for the former Premier League Champions, who know every goal will be vital in staying in the division.

More often than not coming off the bench, Adebayo doesn’t have to be considered a first-team starter at the club, but would be a very handy option to call upon when needed.

Chris Wood

Foxes fans will know all about Chris Wood, with the New Zealand international on the books at the King Power between 2012 and 2015, as he helped them to promotion to the Premier League with a number of domineering performances up top.

He may have only registered four goals in the 2013/14 title winning campaign, but the Kiwi’s nonstop effort and desire at the top of the field earned himself plenty of plaudits in Leicestershire before making the move to Leeds United the following season.

Wood has gone on to prove himself to be a worthy striker in the top tier with Burnley, Newcastle United and currently Nottingham Forest, with this his seventh straight season at the highest level of the English game.

A hamstring injury sustained in February saw him endure a spell on the sidelines in the second half of the season, but if he is back to full fitness for the next campaign, he could be another wily performer to add to the Foxes squad.

With his contract at the City Ground running out in the summer, a deal to offer the 32-year-old a return to familiar surroundings could be a great deal for all parties.

Callum Doyle

With Jannik Vestergaard’s contract coming to an end in the summer, the Foxes will find themselves a little light at the back heading into the next season, but they may already have the perfect recruitment playing for them already.

Callum Doyle is on a season-long loan deal from Premier League Champions Manchester City, having spent the previous two seasons enjoying temporary spells at Coventry City and Sunderland.

The young defender is said to have a bright future ahead of him, and has shown enough quality in his appearances this season to make the Foxes consider making his move to the King Power permanent in the summer.

After missing four months of the season with an injury picked up in a 1-0 victory over Bristol City in September, the 19-year-old has slotted back into the defensive line with ease in the second-half of the campaign, with his assured nature at such a young age proving how much of an asset he could be.

The young defender has a contract with City until the summer of 2027, but if Maresca’s side mean business next season, they have to put their money where their mouth is and push the boat out to secure the teenager’s services.

Vinicius Souza

Although this season has been something of a write-off for Sheffield United, with the Blades finding themselves unable to claw themselves out of the relegation zone, one-star performer has been Vinicius Souza at the base of midfield.

The Brazilian constantly ranks among the top performers for cutting out opposition attacks, with his numbers for blocks and interceptions among the best in the division.

That is exactly what you need when you are facing teams with so much attacking quality, and with Chris Wilder’s men facing relegation this season, it wouldn’t take much to tempt the 24-year-old to make the move back to the top tier.

With Wilfred Ndidi’s contract expiring in the summer, the Foxes will need someone to patrol the backline in the same way as the Nigerian has been doing so dependably in recent seasons, and Souza could be the man to fill that void.

One stumbling block could be the Brazilian’s contract at Bramall Lane, which is said to last until June 2027, but he hasn’t made the move from Belgium to be sat in the second tier, and the Yorkshire side could look to recoup the reported £10 million transfer fee they shelled out last summer.