Leicester City Rumor Mill

Here's an update on the latest Leicester City signing rumors...

Thursday, June 12

The big story today is focused on Tottenham's left-back BEN THATCHER. Leicester wanted him under O'Neill and it looks like Micky Adams has stepped in and expressed interest. Rumors range from talks to a deal already being made. I'd love this signing... definitely a step up from Alan Rogers.

Also, the word seems to be definite that PAUL BROOKER, Brighton's 26-year-old winger, is on his way to the East Midlands. Micky always rated him highly when he was in charge of the South Coast club.

Planetfootball.com reports that Leicester City and Cardiff City are both battling to sign versatile Ireland international Gary Hulse.

And finally, despite reports that Leicester had made a 250,000-pound bid for Motherwell striker and Scottish U-21 starlet Stephen Pearson, Motherwell has denied the reports.

 

Apparently the new hot rumors link Leicester City with HASAN SAS and KEITH GILLESPIE. The Hasan Sas rumors have died down a little in the past day since the forward signed a new contract with Galatasaray, but apparently he has a clause in his new deal which allows him to talk to other clubs. Gillespie was given a free transfer by Blackburn and apparently Birmingham City are also courting his signature.

Also, no news on a return to Leicester for Sunderland winger MATT PIPER.

 

Leicester City have reportedly expressed interest in Ipswich Town striker MARCUS BENT according to ITFC fanzine Those Were The Days. Apparently Micky has been inquiring about him for some time and is considering making a bid. We'll see.

As for Thatcher, he rejected City once before. I wonder if he'll have a change of heart if a bid goes through.

 

Planetfootball.com reports that Leicester are interested in Georgian defender ZURAN KHIZANISHVILI. The ex-Dundee defender will apparently snub Rangers and look for a move south, where the Foxes and Tottenham are interested in his services.

Also, despite earlier reports of Leicester looking at Marcus Bent, don't expect any news very soon on this. I don't think Leicester have a bid lined up right now.

Who's leaving? Apparently Stoke City are interested in MATT ELLIOTT and have a bid around 200,000 pounds. Also, Rotherham United appears ready to swoop for NICKY SUMMERBEE.

 

He's worth more than #200,000 but perhaps he's not worth the big paycheck he gets. I'd like him to stay along, though, I like Elliott. He always plays hard and he knows what he's doing back there. He's given the club several years of outstanding service. He doesn't have much speed now and struggled a bit in 2001-2, but he did a great job against strikers at clubs like Pompey and F*rest that were expected to run circles around him and Taggs.

Elliott does want to go into management when his career is done, so maybe Stoke are offering a player-manager role? Who knows, this is just a guess.

 

OK, here is a simple yet long explanation...

1) Re: Leicester not having enough money for major signings: All of the talk I've heard and the articles I've read from people who seem to be in the know suggest that Micky Adams has a #5-million kitty for transfers and new signings.

2) How will Micky keep Leicester up? We'll find out next season, I suppose. I complied when Micky asked all Leicester fans to "keep the faith" when City's financial debts reached the point when we all could have panicked... and I have enough faith in Micky's managerial abilities to believe that we have a better chance of surviving under him than most other managers. I think Micky would have jumped ship to another Premiership club starving for success (i.e. Villa, Leeds) if he didn't have any money to make new signings and if it were not for the #1,000,000 price tag LCFC placed on him if another club wanted to have him.

3) I think, however, that this is still part of the gamble placed by LCFC's new owners to keep the club alive. If the Foxes are relegated, I'm afraid we're back to square one--perhaps even farther behind.

Remember, when the Lineker-"led" consortium (a.k.a. New Fox PLC) took over the club, they were able to cancel some debts and create new repayment plans with creditors (the administrators and the courts were behind this--Leicester City never had any say on this). The club now has more time to repay (smaller) debts so they can afford to set aside at least a little bit of money to try to keep the team in the Premiership, where revenues are higher.

I can try to explain this in further detail another time... I'm afraid it's a bit too late at night right now to get into the intricacies of Leicester's finances... but in case anybody think Leicester "cheated" everybody, 1) these repayment plans were not devised by the club but rather the administrators, 2) Leicester no longer own the Walkers Stadium but will merely rent it from creditors for what appears to be 10 years... and 3) I can explain the rest further another time.

Anyway, good luck to the Tractor Boys (who did the job against the Foxes twice last season) as they try to get their feet back on the ground and their team back in the Premiership. LCFC's old board of directors were a bit dishonest to the fans regarding the club's finances and I'm afraid it will be worse for Ipswich fans and Sheepshanks/ITFC as they are not a public company ergo they didn't have to make the club's financial state a matter of public affairs.

...I'm just hoping that Micky can strengthen the squad this summer. Is he the next O'Neill? We'll see...

 

No news today on possible signings, but Swindon Town have signed Leicester's diminutive forward JON STEVENSON

 

...yes, but 18yard was referring to a team getting promoted and immediately going back down.

 

...but they both got relegated so I don't see what the difference is...

...anyway enough relegation talk. Well, perhaps relegation talk for another club, as goalkeeper DANNY COYNE from the fallen Grimsby Town is the current favorite to sign as Leicester's #2 keeper. We can get him on a free.

 

...so do we!

TeamTalk has a few more rumors... Celtic defender STEPHEN CRAINEY is apparently linked with a move to Leicester and so is... LEE MARSHALL?! What the fvck?

On a side note, the fixtures list was announced today... Leicester kick-off at home against Southampton on August 16.

 

A variety of sources are confirming that Leicester City are pursuing F****t defensive midfielder RICCARDO SCIMECA.

 

SIMON ROYCE rejoined his former club, Charlton, yesterday on a free transfer.

Leicester are also battling with Leeds to sign winger KEITH GILLESPIE, who was released on a free by Blackburn. Also, Leicester have expressed interest in Birmingham winger PAUL DEVLIN and it is believed a bid of about 200,000 pounds would be accepted.

LCFC chief executive Tim Davies also announced that there are further funds for Micky Adams to sign more players.

...and for all of the overseas fans who have pre-ordered the new shirt, the club shop is packing them and getting them ready to be shipped this weekend.

 

BRIAN DEANE and BILLY MCKINLAY were given new contracts and will stay at Leicester City.

 

As predicted earlier, DANNY COYNE signed for Leicester today to be Walker's backup.

Micky is also putting the finishing touches together on a deal that would take Chievo Verona's French midfielder LILIAN NALIS to Leicester. The six-foot 30-year-old hasn't cracked the first team as much as he'd have liked in the last few years. I honestly don't know much about him.

Also, Leicester are still being linked with Crewe striker ROB HULSE.

 

TREVOR BENJAMIN, CALLUM DAVIDSON and JORDAN STEWART will all miss the season openers due to injuries or surgery.

 

It was confirmed today that Leicester City are in talks with KEITH GILLESPIE and LES FERDINAND. Gillespie looks like a done deal so as long as he passes his medical...

I like it...

 

GILLESPIE became Micky's fifth signing this summer.

Talks between Leicester and LES FERDINAND have been confirmed.

LILIAN NALIS is expected to return to Leicester by Friday and complete his signing.

Micky is also hoping to bring in one more player, as he said he is hoping to have a total of eight new faces in the squad before the season starts,

Micky has also offered a one-year contract to GERRY TAGGART and is waiting on a response.

Finally, Leicester City will pay much of their players' wages based on appearances to help avoid future financial meltdowns and an overinflated wage bill, both of which happened in 2002.