Leicester City transfer news as the manager gives his thoughts on the final few days of the window, and discusses Hamza Choudhury’s loan move to Sheffield United.
Ruud van Nistelrooy insists permanent and loan deals remain on the table for Leicester City, who will be working until the “last second” to get deals done this January window.
Van Nistelrooy has been consistent in his answers on potential transfer business at City this month, saying the club are doing their utmost “within the possibilities”. But with Monday night’s deadline just around the corner, it’s growing increasingly likely that they won’t be able to strengthen in every position they had hoped to, even if they do work right up until the window closes.
A winger is wanted by van Nistelrooy amid Abdul Fatawu’s injury absence and a centre-back is also high among the priorities. The City boss is not ruling out any type of deal, albeit the club cannot loan any Premier League players at the moment, with their two permitted slots taken by Facundo Buonanotte and Odsonne Edouard.
Van Nistelrooy said at his press conference on Thursday afternoon: “We are still working on a couple of things, we know it’s the deadline and what we’re working towards. It’s something we’re going to address until the last second of the window to see what we can do.
“It’s about knowing what you’re doing with the club and trying, within the possibilities, to do the maximum possible to get people in who can strengthen the team. It’s what we’re still trying to do and if we can get something, great, and if not, we will carry on with this group.
“It’s clear what I said from the beginning. In the conversations we had before I signed, it was very clear on what possibilities this window would be handled. We’re still in that process. We will go to the end to try. That won’t change.
“Everything is still on the table (permanent deals and loans). We have to keep all the options open with the idea to strengthen the squad.”
So far, City have completed just one signing, right-back Woyo Coulibaly joining from Parma. This week, their only deal has been an exit, Hamza Choudhury joining Championship promotion contenders Sheffield United on loan.
“Hamza is a senior player that needs minutes,” van Nistelrooy said. “With the midfield, the four midfielders we have, it made his perspective on minutes lower.
“So for him it was important to play. He wanted that. It was good for the club that the player can show himself. In that sense it’s a good move.”
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