Leicester City agree €10 million deal for 5-cap international

Yunus Akgun is set to move from Galatasaray initially on loan, before sealing a full-time switch to the Foxes next summer

Leicester City’s points tally indicates that they have had a perfect start to the 2023-24 Championship season, but there is clearly much to improve on for new head coach Enzo Maresca.

The Italian is trying to implement a new style at the King Power Stadium having arrived from Man City as Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man, and perhaps he does not have everyone in his squad that he wants to move forward with for the rest of the campaign.

The Foxes have won three out of three matches in league action, and all have been by one goal with Coventry City, Huddersfield Town and Cardiff dispatched.

Two of those matches though saw Leicester score late, late winners and with the quality of individuals that City have at their disposal, they were expected to be blowing their opposition away.

Whilst there are still many individuals in the squad with plenty of Premier League experience, Maresca’s lack of options out wide has seen both Kasey McAteer and Wanya Marçal-Madivadua get chances in the starting 11 on the right flank.

Maresca looks set to add a fresh and more experienced face to that department though in the near future as according to respected Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu, a deal has been agreed to bring international winger Yunus Akgun to the East Midlands.

The 23-year-old will initially join City on loan from Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray for the rest of the 2023-24 season and next summer he will sign permanently on a four-year contract as Leicester have an obligation to purchase him.

Who is Yunus Akgun?

Akgun has been at Galatasaray since 2011 and made a number of appearances as a teenager in the 2018-19 season for the first-team, but his real senior breakthrough came on loan at Adana Demirspor.

In the 2020-21 season, Akgun scored five times for them in the second tier of Turkish football, helping Adana to promotion to the Super Lig, and his performances led to an extended loan stint for another season.

Five-cap Turkey international Akgun was even better with the step up in division as he scored eight times and notched 11 assists in 2021-22, but he returned to Galatasaray in 2022-23 to be a squad option.

Featuring 28 times in all competitions last season for Gala, Akgun notched four assists and won the Turkish Super Lig, and despite the fact he has already played four times for the club this season so far, he is on the way out of the Istanbul outfit to make the move to England.

How much will Leicester City pay for Yunus Akgun?

As already stated, Akgun will sign permanently for Leicester in 2024 when he has completed his loan stint with the club, penning a contract until 2028.

And they are set to spend a significant fee on the Turkey international, with Sabuncuoglu claiming that a €10 million (£8.55 million) will be spent on the tricky left-footed wide player.

Leicester have already committed to paying that figure next summer and it is widely expected by many that by then, the Foxes will be back in the Premier League after a year in the second tier of English football.

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Leicester City Closing In On Attacking Signing

Leicester City are closing in on the signing of Turkish international Yunus Akgun, according to journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu.

The Foxes have had a busy transfer window so far as they look to escape the Championship at the first time of asking following their relegation from the Premier League last season. So far, the likes of Harry Winks, Conor Coady and Stephy Mavididi have arrived at the King Power Stadium and Leicester have responded to life in England’s second tier with three wins from their opening three fixtures.

The East Midlands side are not resting on their laurels though, and another new signing is expected through the door imminently.

It is claimed that Galatasaray winger Akgun will be the latest acquisition and the 23-year-old will join initially on loan. However, it is believed that the deal will include an obligation to buy which will eventually see the player join on a permanent basis for a fee of around €10 million.

Having emerged through Galatasaray’s academy, Akgun spent two years on loan at Adana Demirspor between 2020 and 2022, notching up 16 goals and 20 assists in 70 appearances. He returned to his parent club last season, where he featured 28 times in all competitions.

It now appears as if the Turkish giants are prepared to let the right-sided attacker leave on a permanent basis and it is said that he will pen a five-year deal at Leicester, including this season’s loan.

The 2016 English champions were first credited with interest in the player earlier this month, with it then touted by the same journalist that an offer had been tabled alongside French clubs Bordeaux and Nantes. It looks as if Leicester have now won the race and manager Enzo Maresca will be hoping that a deal can be done in time for this weekend’s trip to Rotherham United.

Writer’s View

Leicester are clearly hoping for a brief stay in the Championship and their summer business indicates that they are buying with one eye on players who are capable of playing in the Premier League.

Akgun is a bit of an unknown entity, but the Foxes have a good reputation when it comes to scouting out hidden gems and there will be a hope that the Turkish international will follow suit.

Having already featured in the Champions League qualifiers with Galatasaray this season, there is clearly a talented player there, but the Championship is one of the toughest leagues in world football and it will be interesting to see whether he can make a smooth transition.

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Latest Leicester City news from LeicestershireLive as Luke Thomas is reportedly ‘considering’ a move before transfer deadline day

Leicester City defender Luke Thomas “may explore” a loan move before the transfer deadline, it has been claimed.

Thomas is yet to play any competitive football under Enzo Maresca this season, and is keen to be playing first team football after winning the Under-21 Euros with England over the summer.

That’s according to talkSPORT, who say Thomas may “explore the possibility” of leaving the King Power Stadium on loan this summer. The transfer window closes on September 1.

The Syston-born youngster is finding game time hard to come by at Leicester, with Callum Doyle, Victor Kristiansen and James Justin above him in the pecking order under Maresca.

It’s also claimed that Thomas has a year left on his contract at the King Power Stadium, which means if he does head out on loan, the youngster may have already played his last game for Leicester.

At his pre-match press conference ahead of the win over Cardiff last week, Maresca was asked about Thomas and Victor Kristiansen, and spoke on their suitability for his way of playing.

For sure as you say, they are two clear full-backs that in our system, they need to learn many things and to adapt,” he said. “We are trying to do it but at the same time we understand that the best qualities for them is to play as a full-back. It’s the way they have played all of their lives. We are trying to teach them some concepts.”