Leicester City close to £15m deal for striker compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, former Newcastle United target
HITC sources confirm that Leicester City are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for Czech international Adam Hlozek.
The Foxes are in the market for a new centre-forward and have set their sights on the 22-year-old.
Adam Hlozek has been linked with a move to England for much of his career and was previously a target of Newcastle United and West Ham.
But Leicester City are now looking to get a deal over the line with the young striker made available by German champions Leverkusen.
HITC understands that Leicester are close to striking a deal that will see Hlozek arrive on an initial loan with an obligation to make the move permanent for £15million.
Hlozek, who scored seven goals for Leverkusen last season, has been compared to legendary forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Leicester ready to strike double striker deal
HITC revealed on Sunday that Leicester launched a bid for Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis.
The Foxes lodged an offer worth around £23million for the Greece international as they look to bolster their striker department.
It is understood that Leicester want to sign both Ioannidis and Hlozek and are working hard to try and get the double deal over the line before the start of the Premier League season.
Leicester kick-off their league campaign with a clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday evening.
Steve Cooper’s side are short up front after losing Kelechi Iheanacho to Sevilla on a free transfer.
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If Leicester secure both strikers, they will join Issahaku Fatawu, Caleb Okoli, Michael Golding and Bobby De Cordova-Reid as new signings at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester also struck a loan deal for highly-rated Brighton youngster Facundo Buonanotte, who had also been offered to Celtic.
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Loan rules Leicester City must know amid Wilfried Zaha, Adam Hlozek and Facundo Buonanotte deals
City have made one loan signing in Brighton’s Facundo Buonanotte and have been linked with a couple more as they try to strengthen Steve Cooper’s squad
Leicester City will be active in the transfer window over the coming weeks and it seems the loan market will be exploited.
City signed Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton on a season-long loan over the weekend, and they’ve now been linked to similar deals for Galatasaray’s Wilfried Zaha and Bayer Leverkusen’s Adam Hlozek. Amid concerns over Profit and Sustainability Rules, loans allow City to strengthen Steve Cooper’s squad without breaking the bank.
But just how many loan deals are they allowed to do? There can be some confusion over the issue as there are separate rules depending on whether the loaned player is coming from a domestic rival or from abroad.
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In joining from Brighton, Buonanotte takes up one of two domestic loan spaces City are permitted. Over the course of the season, City are allowed a maximum of four loan players from English clubs, but they can only have two at once, and never more than one from any single side.
That’s why Sheffield United cancelled Luke Thomas’s loan contract in January. The left-back was taking up one of their two domestic loan spots, with Manchester City midfielder James McAtee occupying the other. So they could strengthen in other areas, they ended Thomas’s spell early, and brought in centre-back Mason Holgate on loan from Everton for the remainder of the campaign.
