Things don’t seem like improving anytime soon for Leicester City. They have managed to get just two wins in their last 10 league games and misery further heaped on them when they failed to beat Derby County last Friday. The result now forces them to play the second leg of the FA Cup 4th round, preceding their Champions League knockout match against Sevilla.
Collecting just 21 points from the opening 22 games, Leicester are now three points above the relegation zone and a top half finish is out of the equation for Claudio Ranieri. The only two hopes to achieve anything from their pathetic season hinges on the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. And given their current form, both look quite improbable for the Foxes.
One of the biggest problems for Leicester this season, compared to their league campaign run last year, has been their below average defence. The duo of Robert Huth and Wes Morgan, who were nothing short of superheroes last season, effective both in the defence and while attacking, have reduced to a shadow of their former selves. They have conceded 37 goals this season and the Italian manager is desperate to bring in further reinforcements at the back to bolster their spine.
The Foxes were one of the first clubs to do business in January, bringing in defensive midfielder Onyinye Ndidi, but couldn’t agree on any other deal since then. And now with three days to go till the window closes, the club are reportedly planning a move for Chelsea’s fallen-down-the-order defender Branislav Ivanovic.
The Serbian international moved to Chelsea from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2007 and fast made himself a top player in the Blues’ starting line-up. The full-back, who can easily play in the centre-half position, has won all major trophies with Chelsea- one UEFA Champions League, two English Premier League titles, three FA Cups and one EFL Cup.
However, his dip started with Chelsea’s nightmarish season last year when the club finished 10th in the league. After the arrival of the new manager this season at Stamford Bridge, he has managed to make only thirteen appearances, of which seven were from the bench. He has fallen down the pecking order since the return of Brazilian defender David Luiz.
However, at 32, he still has a good two years left in him. With 376 Premier League games under his belt, where he has scored 32 times and assisted 33, his huge chunk of experience could be invaluable for Leicester City. His contract runs out in June next month and the Foxes are in for a real cut-price deal if they make a timely move.
