The Foxes might have a chance to complete a high-profile deal for Beraldo.
The Foxes will be getting ready for the two-week transfer window to open.
This time frame could be critical for several Championship teams, including Enzo Maresca’s team, who are performing admirably right now but aren’t assured of finishing in the top two this season. These teams want to gain promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds United and Ipswich Town are currently also contenders for automatic promotion, and while the latter’s recent loss of points will help the Foxes, they cannot afford to sit back and take it easy.
They closed some great summer acquisitions, and the revenue they made from sales contributed to that. It’s possible that the departures of players like James Maddison and Harvey Barnes will help them pay for some winter upgrades to King Power Stadium.
| Leicester City – 2023/24 Departures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed For | Loan/Permanent |
| James Maddison | Tottenham | Permanent (fee involved) |
| Harvey Barnes | Newcastle United | Permanent (fee involved) |
| Timothy Castagne | Fulham | Permanent (fee involved) |
| George Hirst | Ipswich Town | Permanent (fee involved) |
| Victor Kristiansen | Bologna | Loan |
| Youri Tielemans | Aston Villa | Permanent |
| Caglar Soyuncu | Atletico Madrid | Permanent |
| Daniel Amartey | Besiktas | Permanent |
| Ayoze Perez | Real Betis | Permanent |
| Jonny Evans | Man United | Permanent |
| Boubakary Soumare | Sevilla | Loan |
| Luke Thomas | Sheffield United | Loan |
| Nampalys Mendy | Without Club | Permanent |
| Ryan Bertrand | Without Club | Permanent |
| Tete | Shakhtar D | End of Loan |
The latest on Leicester City’s interest in Lucas Beraldo
One player that has been mentioned as a possible January transfer to the Midlands team is Beraldo, a central defender who may join Maresca’s squad.
The 20-year-old has been a consistent starter for São Paulo when healthy and available, and a few European teams have expressed interest in him.
According to UOL, Zenit, a Russian team, is willing to pay $18 million to entice the youthful defender from Brazil; São Paulo turned down the substantial offer.
They are eager to acquire at least $20 million for him, and while it’s unclear how much the Foxes are prepared to provide, they are content to offer more than Zenit, which may increase their chances of closing this deal.
According to the same research, São Paulo needs to make money off of a player in order to improve their cash flow.
Leicester City should think twice before spending $20m+ on Lucas Beraldo
It’s risky to spend more than $10 million, much less $20 million, on a player in the second tier.
For this reason, if the Foxes are promoted, they must first sign him to a contract of loan before being required to purchase him at a predetermined price.
That’s the only deal they should be looking to consider at the moment, even though they generated a decent amount of revenue in the summer from departures.
They could potentially pursue an option to buy, but an obligation to buy if promoted may be the only acceptable deal to Sao Paulo who will want to be pretty much guaranteed a decent amount of money.
Leicester aren’t guaranteed to win promotion, but it looks likely.
