Leicester City news: Marti Cifuentes close to transfer, Bilal El Khannouss twist, West Ham eye £30m-rated man | OneFootball

We rounded up all the latest news from Leicester City with just over a month of the transfer window remaining.

Leicester City are preparing for life back in the Championship as a new era begins at the club under new manager Marti Cifuentes.

It was a disappointing campaign for Leicester last season as they were relegated from the Premier League with just 25 points to their name, and they parted company with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy in June after just under seven months in charge.

The likes of Sean Dyche, Danny Rohl, Chris Wilder and Gary O'Neil were all linked with the Foxes after van Nistelrooy's exit, but the club appointed former QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes as the Dutchman's replacement earlier this month, with the 43-year-old signing a three-year contract at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester will be hoping to challenge for an immediate return to the top flight next season under Cifuentes, but they are one of only two clubs in the Championship who are yet to make a signing this summer, along with troubled Sheffield Wednesday, while they could also be hit with a points deduction in the upcoming campaign.

As the transfer window begins to hot up at the King Power Stadium, we rounded up all the latest Foxes news.

Marti Cifuentes closing in on first Leicester City signing

Leicester are yet to complete a signing this summer as things stand, but that could all be set to change.

The Foxes were first linked with free agent goalkeeper Asmir Begovic last month, and while it was claimed that they faced competition from fellow newly-relegated side Southampton for his signature, it seems they have now won the race.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Saturday that Begovic has signed his contract with Leicester to become Cifuentes' first new addition since taking over at the King Power Stadium, and he will reunite with the Spaniard after working with him previously at Queens Park Rangers.

Begovic, who was released by Everton in the summer after a one-year spell with the Premier League outfit, made 46 appearances as the R's avoided relegation from the Championship under Cifuentes in the 2023-24 season, while the 38-year-old has also spent time with the likes of Portsmouth, Stoke City, Chelsea, Bournemouth and AC Milan during his lengthy career.

Crystal Palace join Bilal El Khannouss transfer race

It is fair to say that Leicester's transfer business last summer ahead of their return to the Premier League was not particularly successful, but the signing of midfielder Bilal El Khannouss from Genk for a fee of £21 million was one deal that worked out.

El Khannouss scored three goals and provided six assists in 37 appearances last season, with his standout moment arguably coming when he netted in the Foxes' memorable 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur back in January.

While Leeds United are not believed to be actively pursuing a move for El Khannouss at this stage, he is reportedly on the radar of the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sunderland and Bayer Leverkusen this summer, and it appears his list of suitors is growing.

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Crystal Palace have placed El Khannouss on their shortlist of targets to replace Eberechi Eze if he leaves Selhurst Park this summer, while RB Leipzig are also keeping tabs on the Morocco international, but neither club have made a formal offer just yet.

West Ham United plotting Mads Hermansen move

Leicester will be hoping to launch a promotion push next season under Cifuentes, but they may be set to lose one of the key members of their Championship title-winning squad from the 2023-24 campaign.

Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen joined the Foxes from Brondby in the summer of 2023 for a fee in the region of £5 million, and he played a starring role in their promotion under Enzo Maresca in his first year at the club, while he also impressed in the Premier League last season, despite conceding 58 goals and keeping just one clean sheet in 27 appearances.

Journalist Alan Nixon claims that West Ham United are interested in Hermansen, but the 25-year-old is valued at around £30 million by Leicester, which could be a stumbling block for the London outfit.

The Hammers may be willing to make a move for Hermansen if the Foxes reduce their asking price to around £20 million, but they could also turn their attention to less expensive targets, such as Sheffield United's Michael Cooper, who could be available for £15 million.

Transfer rumours have been in short supply for Leicester supporters amid their quiet start to the summer window, but one player they have been linked with is former Nottingham Forest defender Harry Toffolo.

Toffolo is currently a free agent after being released by Forest following a frustrating three-year spell at the City Ground, during which he scored one goal and provided four assists in 57 appearances.

The Foxes had reportedly identified Toffolo as a potential replacement for Victor Kristiansen if he left the King Power Stadium this summer, but it seems the 29-year-old could now be closing in on a move elsewhere.

Nixon claims that Toffolo has recently been in the United States to hold talks with Charlotte, who are managed by former Leicester boss Dean Smith, and with his English suitors believed to be waiting to sell players before making their move, the MLS side could be in pole position to land his signature.