Steve Cooper driving Leicester City pursuit of Sunderland deal amid Ipswich Town links | OneFootball

Leicester City have emerged as a potential destination for a key Sunderland figure

Highlights

Leicester City have initiated talks with Sunderland over a move for midfielder Pierre Ekwah with Steve Cooper said to be driving the pursuit of the Ipswich Town-linked rising star.

According to Africafoot, new Foxes boss Steve Cooper has pushed for the club to pursue a move for the 22-year-old.

It was previously reported by TBR Football that Ipswich Town also have an interest in the player, but a deal has yet to materialise.

Ekwah has cemented himself as a key figure at the Stadium of Light since joining the club in 2023 from West Ham.

The Frenchman made 40 appearances from 46 league games last season, as the team earned an underwhelming 16th place in the table (all stats from Fbref).

Leicester City’s Pierre Ekwah interest

It is understood that Cooper is a big admirer of the midfielder, and is keen to bring him to the King Power Stadium in order to bolster his options in that area.

Leicester are preparing for life back in the Premier League after gaining promotion with a title triumph in the Championship last year.

But Cooper is just in the door at the Leicestershire outfit after Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea earlier in the summer.

It has been claimed that scouts have made contact with the player in a bid to sniff out his interest in a potential move, with an official offer being lined up.

It remains to be seen what kind of fee it will take to convince Sunderland to cash in on Ekwah, but it could be significant.

The Foxes have been embroiled in financial issues in recent months, so this could complicate matters regarding a permanent move.

The Black Cats have earned a reputation for driving a hard bargain in the transfer market, previously turning down major offers for players like Jack Clarke.

Ekwah has a contract with Sunderland until the summer of 2027, meaning they have no immediate need to sell during this transfer window.

Sunderland’s 2024 summer transfer activity

Sunderland have made a few additions this summer following the arrival of Régis Le Bris as their new head coach.

Alan Brown, Ian Poveda, and Simon Moore have all joined as free agents for the upcoming Championship season.

No major departures have hindered the squad yet this transfer window, but there is still time for major sales to be made.

Sunderland have until 30 August to complete their remaining business before the market shuts for the rest of the calendar year, with their opening league game coming against Cardiff City on 10 August.

Pierre Ekwah is worth an eight-figure sum

Sunderland should be holding out for at least £10 million when it comes to Ekwah this summer.

The midfielder is a key figure in the squad, and their ambition will be to compete for promotion this season.

Given his importance to the squad, as well as the three years remaining on his contract, they should be charging a premium from Leicester in order to sell.

Whether or not the Foxes can afford that is unclear, but that is an issue for the Premier League team to figure out, and it will ultimately benefit the Black Cats to price them out of a move for now, if that comes to pass.