Rangers handed potential transfer boost as Leicester City reach Brighton agreement | OneFootball

The Foxes' move for Tommy Watson could have a positive knock-on effect in the transfer window for Russell Martin's former club

Leicester City's recent fall from the Premier League to League One in successive seasons has seen some former favourites at the King Power Stadium turn into villains in the eyes of supporters.

Now, Russell Martin has the pressurised task of turning the tide in this part of the East Midlands, with the Foxes already a strong pick for a first-time promotion out of the third tier.

There is still a need for the club to move players on in the remainder of the summer window, with City's financial shortcomings in recent times being well-publicised, as a six-point deduction in February was pivotal in their relegation from the Championship.

Only three new players have been added to Martin's squad so far in the form of Alex McCarthy, Christian McFarlane and Conor Chaplin, with the experienced duo moving on free transfers, whilst McFarlane has joined on loan from Manchester City for the season.

Meanwhile, plenty of funds have already been generated in terms of transfer fees, as well as the freeing up of high wages, through the exits of Harry Winks, Abdul Fatawu, Jeremy Monga among others, and a new transfer domino effect could help Leicester again on this front, as well as one of Martin's former clubs.

Stephy Mavididi's career would be best served by Rangers, Leicester City transfer agreement

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Given the club's current predicament, it is easy to forget just how much of an impact Stephy Mavididi had during his first season at the King Power under Enzo Maresca, as Leicester were eventually crowned Championship champions on 97 points.

It was reported that the newly-relegated Foxes parted with a £6.4m fee to lure the winger away from Ligue 1 side, Montpellier, on a five-year contract - of which three years have now passed.

The Arsenal academy graduate posted a highly-respectable total of 12 goals and six assists from the left-wing position, featuring in every one of Leicester's 46 Championship matches.

But, much like the majority of his teammates who have remained at the club throughout such a turbulent period, the 28-year-old has struggled for form, and that began during their relegation from the Premier League, although the winger was still able to score four times.

And in a side which received plenty of criticism last term, Mavididi wasn't able to showcase anywhere near the same level of performances in the Championship, scoring just three times in 42 games.

Unsurprisingly, his long-term future now appears to be away from the King Power, with Rangers looking to strike a £7m agreement which, remarkably, would give City a profit on his services.

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As previously mentioned, it has been a rather slow transfer window at Leicester despite the change of management, although Martin will clearly hope further bodies arrive at Seagrave ahead of the opening day of the League One season against Notts County.

Having lost the services of Monga and Fatawu to Arsenal and Ipswich Town, it is no real surprise that the need for added depth and quality in wide areas appears to have been addressed quickly, with it being claimed that a loan agreement has been struck with Brighton and Hove Albion for Tommy Watson.

Watson, 20, is best-known for his winning goal for Sunderland against Sheffield United in the 2025 Championship play-off final, but will be hoping to further enhance his chances of becoming a first-team regular at the AMEX Stadium after his £10m switch.

The England youth international's versatility and raw talent could be a huge asset for the Foxes against opposition full-backs, and after an underwhelming stint with Millwall in the second half of last season, a drop into the third tier at a club which will demand short-term success could bring the best out of Watson, especially factoring in his prior stint at the Stadium of Light.

It also further showcases that Rangers may have been given further hope to seal a move for Mavididi, although perhaps later than the Light Blues may have hoped in terms of a timeline, with the Scottish Premiership season beginning this weekend.

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As well as Martin having a strong track record when it comes to developing homegrown talent, the fact Leicester have struck an agreement with the Seagulls for Watson's services in the short-term shows they still have a large amount of pulling power.

It was recently reported that as many as six sides were interested in moves for the prospect, including Premier League side, Hull City, and Championship promotion favourites, West Ham United.

Of course, the likelihood is that Watson's gametime at the King Power will be far greater than if he signed for the Tigers or the Hammers, and that in itself is another positive sign for both Leicester and Brighton, whilst also having a knock-on effect that could please the Midlands outfit and new Rangers boss, Derek McInnes.