Leicester City have been linked with a move for Wolfsburg winger Patrick Wimmer but a price-tag of €20m (£16.7m) likely ends their pursuit before it’s started.

City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has suggested he would like a new wide-man this month to help the club negotiate the injury absence of Abdul Fatawu. And Austrian international Wimmer would tick plenty of boxes.

The 23-year-old, who can play on both flanks or down the middle, has four assists and one goal in the Bundesliga this season. He spent most of last season out injured, but two years ago, he finished with four goals and eight assists in the German top flight.

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Bild report that Juventus and AC Milan are keen on Wimmer, but are looking at a move for the summer, whereas City would want him now. To do a deal, which Wimmer would be reportedly open to, Wolfsburg would want upwards of €20m, and that figure seems steep for where City are at.

So far, they have spent just £3m on January transfers, bringing in right-back Woyo Coulibaly from Parma. Deals before Monday night’s deadline are more likely to be loans than permanent transfers, although van Nistelrooy insists both remain on the table.

It’s not that City are short on options out wide. Van Nistelrooy has used Stephy Mavididi, Kasey McAteer, Jordan Ayew, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, and Facundo Buonanotte during his short reign, while Bilal El Khannouss even played off the left flank in the Dutchman’s first few games.

But what they do lack is the raw speed and dribbling ability that Fatawu brings. The Ghanaian was described as a “massive loss” by van Nistelrooy, and even nearly three months since his last appearance, he’s still leading the club for completed take-ons this season.

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