Leicester City miss out on winger transfer as Cesc Fabregas swoops
Leicester City have reportedly failed in a late attempt to sign Fiorentina winger Jonathan Ikone.
L’Equipe reporter Loic Tanzi says Ikone will have a medical with Como this week after choosing to stay in Italy. He adds that City, Bologna, and Nantes all “tried their luck” with the Frenchman, but ultimately fell short.
City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is keen on signing a new winger this January transfer window to make up for the loss of Abdul Fatawu, who is out for the season after an ACL tear. Ikone, a left-footed right-sided winger, could have been the ideal stand-in.
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The 26-year-old has only started once in Serie A for sixth-placed Fiorentina this season, but has made plenty of substitute appearances, while he’s scored four goals in six starts in the Europa Conference League. He looks to be giving up European football in moving to Como, who sit 13th in Serie A after their promotion under Cesc Fabregas last term.
It’s said that Como are paying €1m (£840k) for a loan until the end of the season, while there is an option to buy Ikone for €8m (£6.7m) in the summer if they wish. Ikone will only have one year left on his Fiorentina contract by the summer.
Tipped to become one of the brightest wingers in Europe when he first started making his name at Lille, Ikone has perhaps not hit the heights many expected of him. In the 18-19 season, when he was 20 years old, he registered a combined 14 goals and assists for Lille. It’s not a tally he’s topped, although he has twice matched it in the years since.
