Boubakary Soumare is heading to Qatar, bringing the number of fit and available senior midfielders at the club down to just three ahead of this weekend’s game against Charlton
Boubakary Soumare looks to be on the verge of leaving Leicester City(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Leicester City could be on the verge of selling Boubakary Soumare in a move that would ramp up their need for midfield recruits before the transfer deadline.
It’s understood that reports from France that Soumare is heading to Qatar are accurate, with RMC Sport writing that all parties have agreed a deal for the 26-year-old to join Al-Duhail.
Soumare’s future was always in doubt this January transfer window with the French midfielder entering the final six months of his contract at the King Power Stadium, and so with this month City’s last chance to sell him.
However, he could now be departing when City are short of midfielders. Soumare’s exit could potentially leave interim boss Andy King with just three fit senior midfielders for the three roles in the centre of the park in Hamza Choudhury, Louis Page and Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest Leicester City news, analysis and more via our LCFC Facebook page
Even then, Choudhury has mostly been used as a full-back this season, as a deputy to Ricardo Pereira at right-back.
Beyond Soumare, City have four midfielders. Loanees Aaron Ramsey and Jordan James are both sidelined with hamstring issues, with Ramsey not due back until late February, and James potentially out until March.
Oliver Skipp missed the loss to Oxford following a head injury at Wrexham and no date has been put on his return.
And Harry Winks has not played for the club since November with Marti Cifuentes overlooking him amid doubts around his future.
Even with a change in manager, Winks may not come into the fold, as he also has just six months remaining on his contract.
Before he left, Cifuentes had been keen to sign an attacking midfielder to cover the injuries of Ramsey and James, but if Soumare goes and Winks stays out in the cold or leaves himself, then City may need a new deep-lying midfielder too.
They had been linked with Sunderland’s play-off-winning captain Dan Neil earlier in the window, but he joined Ipswich on Tuesday.
The latest Leicester City headlines sent straight to your phone
Get the latest Leicester City news sent straight to your phone by joining our Foxes WhatsApp community. Just click here and select ‘Join Community’ to get started.
No one will be able to see your personal information in the community and you will only receive messages from the LeicestershireLive sports team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest City stories. All you need to participate in this free service is to have WhatsApp on your phone.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and then ‘Exit Group’. It’s as simple as that. You can read our Privacy Notice HERE.
Is a new midfielder more important than a new striker? Click HERE to have your say.