Leicester City target Djene Dakonam has declined a move to the English top tier as he has no interest in moving out of Spain. According to recent reports, the Togo international has informed his club Getafe to reject any offers from the Premier League during this summer transfer period.
Some sources have recently linked him with a £25m switch to the King Power Stadium but it now seems that Leicester boss Claude Puel will have to look elsewhere in search of a new defender in the coming weeks.
In a recent interview, Getafe president Angel Torres addressed the future of the Togolese talent and was quoted to have said, “The footballer has had important offers from the Premier League, but he has asked us not to listen to them,”
“He wants to continue in Spain and we have promised him and his agent that we will negotiate in case there is an offer from a Spanish team.”
With the Foxes missing out on Djene Dakonam this summer, let’s take a look at three potential replacements for Puel to consider in this post-season.
Phil Jones
The English centre-half had featured in 25 matches for Manchester United but was a sporadic presence in the second half of last season. Jones is quite versatile and can operate in a number of different roles in the backline. He primarily plays as a central defender but can also be deployed at right-back or as a defensive midfielder which makes him a perfect fit for the Foxes. At 26, the English prospect is exactly the kind of talent who can reignite his career under the guidance of Claude Puel at the King Power Stadium.
James Tarkowski
The Burnley defensive prospect had put in a number of outstanding displays at the back under Sean Dyche’s leadership during the course of last season. He will be the perfect alternative to Djene Dakonam and could turn out to a shrewd signing if the West Midlands club can pull off such a deal. The 25-year-old had featured in 33 matches for the Clarets and played a significant role in his team’s climb to the top half of the league table in the last campaign.
Ahmed Hegazi
The West Bromwich Albion defender has put in some eye-catching performances at the Hawthorns last season but it wasn’t enough to save the Baggies from relegation. The Foxes can offer him regular first-team football at the King Power after missing out on Djene Dakonam this summer, which might be enough to convince the player to join Claude Puel’s revolution at the West Midlands club.
The Egyptian international is vastly experienced at the highest level and has already gathered a full season’s experience in the English top-flight while also representing his nation in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Hence, he won’t shy away from the biggest stage which makes him an ideal addition for Leicester City.
