Transfer Wishlist: Maloney is only the start for Leicester this month
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What areas do they need to strengthen?
Despite signing Croatian whizz-kid Andrej Kramaric as well as Shaun Maloney, Leicester are still lacking players of genuine top-flight class in every area of the pitch other than in goal.
An experienced striker and another solid centre-back look like necessary additions, while another midfielder would not go amiss for Nigel Pearson’s team.
Who have they been linked with?
Shinji Okazaki, Vedran Corluka, Kyle Naughton, Danny Ings, Dwight Gayle, Rudy Gestede, Kris Commons, Steve Cook, James McArthur
January Wishlist Best Buys
Shinji Okazaki – Mainz
While the Premier League has been burned by Japanese Bundesliga stars in the past – Shinji Kagawa anyone? – Okazaki could be an entirely different story for the Foxes having shone at lowly Mainz for much of the past two years.
Averaging a goal every two games, the 28-year-old is at the peak of his powers for both club and country and has 41 goals in 85 appearances for the national side to date. Keen on a move to England, the striker scored at the World Cup and is off the mark in the current Asian Cup.
Kris Commons – Celtic
The Bhoys favourite may be pushing the wrong side of thirty but with Commons easily the best player in Scotland over the last couple of seasons, bringing the former Nottingham Forest attacker back across the border could prove to be a masterstroke.
A creative player capable of chipping in with his fair share of goals, Commons could be available for next to nothing given his current contract situation at Celtic with the Hoops favourite in the final few months of his deal at the club.
Vedran Corluka – Lokomotiv Moscow
Another experienced head looking to make a return to the Premier League, Corluka was largely impressive during previous spells with Manchester City and Tottenham and has certainly shown in the past that he has what it takes to excel in this division.
Still only 28, the Croatia international may be available at a cut-price fee too having fallen out of love with Russian football according to recent reports.
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Cheick Diabate
Another under-the-radar signing that could prove to be a shrewd move for Nigel Pearson, Diabate has been a regular goalscorer for Bordeaux in France and has previously been linked with a £7m switch to English shores with Arsenal thought to be among those interested.
Leicester could nip in though, with the 26-year-old likely to be keen on a move to the Premier League and likely to be losing patience/hope of the Gunners making any kind of move.
With 20 goals to his name in the last season-and-a-half, the Mali international certainly knows where the goal is and at 6ft4in has the physical presence required to prevail in the Premier League.
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