Leicester City are closing in on signing Serbian centre-back Dusko Tosic. According to recent reports emerging from Turkish media, the Foxes are ready to make an offer for the Besiktas defender and has gone ahead of Everton in pursuit of the veteran centre-half’s signature. The 33-year-old defender has put in some eye-catching displays for the Turkish SuperLig club and has caught the attention of Premier League duo, Leicester City and Everton who lead the race with other clubs, which include Celtic, Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, also interested in his services.
The Besiktas president Fikret Orman has recently travelled to England to try and finalise a deal for the centre-back with the Foxes. It is also believed that he might try to persuade Leicester to part ways with their forward Islam Slimani after catching him in action in the West Midlands club’ midweek FA Cup clash against Fleetwood Town. Orman was reportedly keeping tabs on Slimani’s performance on the night with ongoing talks with his club.
It is believed that the Turkish club are ready to let Tosic leave for a fee in the region of £3.5m but it seems unlikely that Claude Puel’s side would want to bring in another ageing defender, particularly one who turned 33 earlier this month. They already have captain Wes Morgan and Robert Huth who are both in their 30s but have been sidelined due to injuries of late.
The ex-Serbian international has fallen victim to an injury for Besiktas but has played in 23 matches in this campaign, scoring 3 goals while making one assist across all competitions. He has been a rock at the back for the Turkish club, especially with his displays in the UEFA Champions League group-stages that has helped his side progress into the knockout phase of Europe’s premier competition. Tosic has also earned 21 international caps for his nation during his time with the Serbian national team.
The Foxes are currently occupying 7th place in the Premier League table with a tally of 34 points after Gameweek 24. However, they have been leaky at the back, conceding 34 goals in the league so far this term. The potential addition of Tosic will definitely bolster Claude Puel’s defensive options going into the second half of the season. The Serbian defender has a wealth of experience and could prove to be a valuable asset to their squad as they try to bridge the gap between themselves and the top 6 Premier League clubs.
It remains to be seen whether the Foxes are successful in their efforts to fend off stiff competition in pursuit of Tosic’s signature in this transfer period.
