Leicester City face transfer wait as hurdles emerge in Liverpool pursuit | OneFootball

Leicester are keen on a deal with Liverpool for youngster James McConnell, but will have to wait on an outcome until later in the window.

Leicester City are facing Championship competition in the race to sign Liverpool youngster James McConnell.

According to The Athletic, the Foxes are keen to sign the midfielder before the transfer market shuts on 1 September.

However, they are not the only club keeping tabs on the 21-year-old’s future at this stage, and will face a fight for his signature.

McConnell went on loan to Ajax last season, where he made four appearances in the Eredivisie, including three starts.

And his future is now up in the air again after returning to Anfield this summer, with another loan on the cards.

The youngster has yet to break into Liverpool’s first team squad, and is not a part of Andoni Iraola’s plans going forward.

Leicester target Liverpool midfielder

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It’s been claimed that Leicester are keen on a deal to sign McConnell from Liverpool this summer.

However, the Foxes are up against a number of unnamed Championship sides in the race for his signature.

And it’s understood that a decision likely won’t be made on his future until the final stages of the window, with Liverpool intending to keep him around for cover for the opening rounds of the new season.

The Reds have several players who have only just returned for pre-season, and thus may take a couple of weeks to get back up to full speed, which requires extra cover.

So Russell Martin will need to show patience in his attempts to bolster his midfield options.

But the Leicestershire outfit are competing in League One, and could find it difficult to compete for his signature against second tier clubs.

The third division side will have to weigh up whether to continue this pursuit, or turn their attention to potentially more attainable targets.

Leicester’s summer transfer business

Leicester have been active in the transfer market so far this summer following their relegation from the second division.

The Foxes have signed Conor Chaplin and Alex McCarthy as free agents, while Liam Cullen, Wes Burns and Franco Ravizzoli have also arrived at the King Power Stadium.

The League One side will want to further strengthen their squad before the market closes, with their sights set on competing for promotion in 2026/27.

Martin’s side will get their league campaign underway on 15 August with a trip to face Notts County in a 12.30pm kick-off.

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James McConnell loan would be promising for Leicester

McConnell struggled for any kind of consistent game time for Ajax during his loan spell last season, but he could be a good fit for Martin’s team.

The 40-year-old has a clear, possession-based style of play that would be attractive for a club like Liverpool to send their younger players to gain valuable experience.

However, the Reds may prefer to see McConnell playing at a Championship level, which is the major stumbling block the Foxes now have to overcome in this transfer race.

But McConnell has earned plaudits for his performances at underage level, and he’s got some top flight experience in both the Netherlands and England, having made three Premier League appearances, so he’s an attractive option if a deal can be finalised.