Transfer latest: Is Wilfried Zaha close to a Premier League return?
Steve Cooper is keen for Leicester City to make new signings and he says that’s also true of his players.
Even if it raises competition at the King Power Stadium and puts their places in the starting line-up at risk, the current City squad members want new team-mates. That’s because there’s a lot of Premier League experience in the ranks, and they know what they’re about to step into.
“The players want that (transfers) as well,” Cooper told BBC Radio Leicester. “It gives everybody a boost. They’re asking. They know. Some of them have played in both leagues and they know the difference. That’s what the desire is. Let’s hope we can make that a reality.”
It’s often viewed as a downside for newly-promoted clubs, that they lack Premier League know-how. When the going gets tough and the losses won’t stop, pundits will point out that they lack top-flight experience.
That won’t be an excuse at City and it seems they want to make doubly sure. City are in pursuit of Wilfried Zaha and he would not only bring quick feet, contributions in the final third, and serious competition to Stephy Mavididi, but a wealth of experience too.
He may be at Galatasaray at the moment, but Zaha knows the Premier League inside out after 10 seasons at the top, mostly with Crystal Palace. If he came in, Zaha would be the seventh player in the City squad with more than 100 Premier League appearances, along with Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Conor Coady, Harry Winks, Ricardo Pereira, and Bobby De Cordova-Reid. That’s a lot.
City would have more players to have reached a century of Premier League appearances than Ipswich, Southampton, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Brentford, and Brighton. It’s the same number as Tottenham. If Chelsea sell any two of Romelu Lukaku, Conor Gallagher, and Kepa Arrizabalaga, it will be more than them as well.
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