What to know about Leicester City transfer target Rafiu Durosinmi | OneFootball

The King Power Club will be losing plenty of talent in the coming transfer window regardless of whether or not they manage to survive in the Premier League, or suffer a second relegation straight after returning to the top tier at the first time of asking. This will be a blow. However, Leicester City have advantages with the high wages that will be leaving the bill and a strong academy to promote from.

Nevertheless, this still means the Foxes need to improve in key positions. The East Midlanders have failed to create enough chances or to defend their goal: we need forwards and defenders to backup our comparatively strong midfield. This is where Rafiu Durosinmi comes into the story.

Leicester City’s system and Durosinmi’s fit

Ruud van Nistelrooy prefers to set Leicester City out in a 4-3-3 with two ‘defensive midfielders’ who also take on a progressive role - usually carrying the ball - and more dynamic forwards who can come deep to get involved in creative movements. This relies on a forward having the versatility, pace, strength, and movement to stretch defences, hold-up the ball, and shoot strongly when in position. Essentially, the Foxes need an all-round striker.

At this time, Patson Daka has struggled to take on that role, being more naturally suited to linking up play with quick passing towards wingers and rushing attacking midfielders than winning fouls or exploiting space. Jamie Vardy is getting too old to make a lasting impact and cannot be relied upon forever. So, the King power side need to look for forwards who can play consistently in the system the Dutchman seeks to impose.

The Nigerian youngster has recently returned from injury to Czech side Viktoria Plzen, having suffered an ACL injury in the previous campaign. Nevertheless, the striker is still showing the same instincts and stylistic preferences which make him suited to Leicester’s system. Firstly, I should note he stands at almost 6.3 feet tall and boasts an impressive array of physical attributes in terms of his acceleration and strength.

As such a young age, the Nigerian’s attributes make him well-suited for a well-rounded role, being more involved in the game and turning it on when needed within a game. Additionally, with his height he offers more than what other forwards could offer by being an aerial threat from set pieces or for a good cross (most of their goals).

What Durosinmi does so well are the basics of football: possession and space exploitation. By demonstrating fantastic hold-up play to get midfielders and wingers involved in the game, playing short passes between attacking midfielders and forwards to link up the play across the final third, and generally moving out wide or cutting in from wide positions, the Nigerian striker does something our current crop cannot.

Durosinmi stretches defensive lines by moving out wide, sometimes rushing into space to create an opportunity or draw defenders out from the centre to create space for an instinctive attacking midfielders to run into. Additionally, by keeping the ball well, the player helps Plzen to retain possession and progression up the pitch while also being effective when turning towards the opposition goal.

There is another beneficial side effect of these natural inclinations for Nistelrooy’s side. When under pressure, supporters have often seen a defender or Mads Hermansen make a searching long ball into a lonely forward with no height to help them reach the ball, and no support from which to challenge for the second ball. As such, we have conceded possession far too often. Durosinmi can control those long balls well, win them, and if necessary get tha ball for long enough for support to arrive. This would help the Foxes when they are not playing at their best.

Although clearly a strong option for Leicester City, it is hard to imagine the Foxes being alone in their efforts to sign the Nigerian forward. Any move for the player would possibly be costly (in the context of a struggling side likely to be relegated, say around £10-15m) and may well require Premier League football to coax Rafiu Durosinmi away from the Czech side.