Leicester City fell into the Premier League’s relegation zone on Boxing Day and have not helped themselves since. While the performances are improving, it’s now five straight losses for Ruud van Nistelrooy, the man appointed in place of Steve Cooper to save the Foxes.

If City are going to haul themselves out of the bottom three and stay there, they need help. The expectation is that transfer business will be done this month to aid the club’s cause, with van Nistelrooy confirming that funds are available to bring in players. Here, we run down what should happen in the window if RvN and Co get it right...

French defender joins

City have already been linked with a host of centre-backs, which is one of the priority positions to strengthen with the club having conceded the most goals in the division this term. But several of their targets, including Valentin Gomez and Abdukodir Khusanov, already look out of reach, either because they’re heading to other clubs or being linked with bigger sides than City.

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But Lilian Brassier at Marseille remains available and seems like he would be a decent fit. He’s only on loan at the club from Brest at the moment, but having played very little this season, they’re open to him leaving. That could allow City to swoop.

The 25-year-old is left-footed and so would give City something they don’t currently have at the back. Plus, he knows what it means to keep a clean sheet, having done so 15 times in 30 starts for Brest last season as they finished third in Ligue 1 and qualified for the Champions League.

RvN uses PSV contacts

While he has praised City’s scouting and recruitment set-up, van Nistelrooy has also said he would use his own contacts. If he could get back in touch with his old club PSV, there may be a deal for City to do.

City arguably need strengthening in both full-back positions, so why not kill two birds with one stone. PSV’s Mauro Junior can play on both sides of a back four and as a defensive midfielder if required.

He’s great on the ball and so would help in van Nistelrooy’s plan to play out from the back, while his contract is up in the summer, making a deal more viable. He didn’t play too much under van Nistelrooy two seasons ago, but only because of injury. Since then, he’s become a regular again, so that would be the only barrier, whether he would want to trade Champions League football for a relegation battle.

Premier League winger signs

Covering injury absences is a part of City’s January transfer plan and that means signing a winger. Van Nistelrooy has described Abdul Fatawu, out with an ACL tear, as a “massive loss”, and a direct, tricky wide-man would be helpful for City’s attack.

But they don’t need to spend on an option. They don’t need a long-term replacement for Fatawu, who should be fit again and back to being first choice a few months into next season. What they need is a temporary signing.

Aston Villa’s move for Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen looks set to free up Jaden Philogene for a loan switch away. The 22-year-old has only started four matches since returning to the club in the summer, but was one of the best wide-men in the Championship with Hull last term.

Philogene can play on both sides, dribbles really well, scores and assists. He would be the ideal stand-in for Fatawu.

Duo depart

But to be able to bring in a Premier League player on loan, City have to send Odsonne Edouard back to Crystal Palace. The Eagles themselves don’t want him back, Oliver Glasner has already said as much, but if they want to sell him in the summer they could do with him playing regularly to raise his profile, so there is still an incentive to recalling him, if only to find him a new club.

If a new centre-back comes in too, City can afford to loan out Caleb Okoli. He would drop further down the pecking order and what he needs is regular game-time. After his decent displays for Frosinone, there may be clubs in Italy that would take him. If he gets a good run of games under his belt, City can then reassess his future in the summer.

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