Leicester City took big gamble with €17m transfer - they could easily x3 their money | OneFootball

Leicester City took a risk by bringing Abdul Fatawu to the club, but he is sure to make them a big profit in the future.

It’s fair to say that Leicester City’s record in the transfer market has been more miss than hit in the past few years, which has contributed to two relegations.

The club that previously unearthed gems like N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, has been very wasteful with the resources at their disposal stretching as far back to the summer of 2021.

However, it hasn’t been all bad news for the Foxes in that period, and one standout bit of business was the decision to sign Abdul Fatawu from Sporting CP.

Leicester City took a gamble by signing Abdul Fatawu from Sporting CP

The 22/23 campaign was a forgettable one for all connected to Leicester as they dropped to the Championship, but that did at least offer the opportunity for a reset.

With Enzo Maresca named as the new boss, the club were preparing to go in a different direction, and the Italian was reasonably backed in the market.

Whilst the likes of Callum Doyle, Conor Coady, Harry Winks and Stephy Mavididi looked relatively safe bets for a second tier side, the arrival of Fatawu was certainly riskier.

The attacker was 19 when Leicester brought him in on an initial loan, and he had barely done anything of note in the senior game.

After impressing in Ghana, Fatawu joined the Lisbon giants, with most of his football coming for the reserve side, with Fatawu playing only 12 times for Sporting CP.

Nevertheless, Leicester were convinced of his potential, and it became apparent very quickly as to why they were such fans of the player, as Fatawu dazzled with his explosive style and willingness to take his opponent on.

Abdul Fatawu will turn out to be a shrewd investment for Leicester City

Following a productive first season, Leicester triggered an option that saw Fatawu become a permanent player at the King Power Stadium for a fee of €17m.

Even though that is a significant outlay for someone so young, that will turn out to be a shrewd investment by the Midlands outfit.

Firstly, that’s because Fatawu will continue to make a big impact on the pitch.

The Ghana international saw his first Premier League season cut short due to a serious knee injury, and it’s hard not to wonder how different Leicester’s season could have been if he had stayed fit.

Given the nature of the injury, some were worried about how Fatawu would bounce back, but those concerns have been eased following his performances in the opening month of the current season.

Fatawu has quickly settled under Marti Cifuentes, and his goals against Birmingham and Charlton, particularly the latter, demonstrated the undoubted quality the 21-year-old has, and he will be a key figure in trying to take the club back to the top division.

Leicester City are sure to make a big profit on Abdul Fatawu

Obviously, Fatawu is not a hidden talent now, and the fact Sunderland made an offer of £28m in the summer shows that there will be a market for the player.

But, given his age and ability, the Foxes were right to reject that, as there is a real possibility he could go for a fee closer to the €50m mark in the future - providing he shows his talent in the Premier League on a consistent basis.

So, the club deserves credit for sticking firm on their valuation of Fatawu, as it wasn't reflective of his enormous potential.

Leicester know more than most the importance of PSR in the modern game, and the reality is that they will need to get back to selling well in the years to come.

Fatawu is the prized asset at the club in that sense, and not only is he likely to be integral to their promotion push, but he will eventually be someone who is likely to be sold for a huge profit, which is crucial to Leicester as they look to avoid further problems down the line.