Leicester forgotten man subject of shock January window interest from Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone is on the lookout for defensive reinforcements in January and is reportedly considering a shock move for Leicester City centre-back Caglar Soyuncu.
The Foxes defender has only played once in the Premier League this season and appears to have fallen out of favor with Brendan Rodgers after just a few minutes on the pitch.
The 26-year-old is reportedly worth around £22million but Atletico may be able to secure a cheap deal as the Turk’s contract expires at the end of the season.
It’s no secret that Simeone’s team are in the defensive reinforcements market as part of the Argentine’s plans to bring more quality to the squad.
At the centre-back, the Rojiblancos lack security due to transfer interest and injuries to two of their key players.
There is currently uncertainty about the future of Mario Hermoso and his other centre-back Felipe, while Stefan Savic is also struggling with injuries.
With that in mind, Atletico are looking to sign at least one more centre-back in January and Soyuncu is currently at the top of the list.
This is according to a report by diary AS, who claim Simeone and co are attempting a repeat of ‘Operation Reinildo’, who was available for a free transfer at the end of last season but the club decided to pay a minimal fee to sign him in January.
Playing with Reinildo paid off for Atletico Madrid as the Mozambican has since become a permanent fixture at Simeone’s left-back.
Considering Soyuncu is also out of contract at the end of this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if something similar happened to the Foxes man.
Soyuncu to Atletico could be win-win for Simeone and Rodgers
Before falling down the pecking order behind Daniel Amartey and Wout Faes at Leicester, Soyuncu was seen as a consistent defender with the ability to read the game well and an aggressive physicality that would suit Simeone’s style of play.
Overall, the Turkey international has performed generally well for his team in 125 appearances for the Foxes.
Last season, Soyuncu averaged a solid 1.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 3.2 clearances per game in 28 Premier League games and helped his side concede five goals.
Of course, the centre-back was also an important part of the Leicester side who finished fifth in the league table and won the FA Cup in 2020/21, making 32 appearances this season.
Soyuncu also has a lot of experience under his belt with 51 appearances for Turkey and has also played well in the Bundesliga with Freiburg.
With a valuation of £22m according to transfer marketreceiving a fee in that region would open up some much-needed funds for Leicester as Rodgers see reinforcements in January
However, the Turk’s value will only drop as he nears the end of his contract so the fee can be much lower as the Foxes will be desperate to get him off the books before he can leave on a free transfer.
As for Simeone, Soyuncu would be a good, experienced defensive option to have at his disposal, which is particularly important given the rumors surrounding Felipe and Hermoso.
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