Leicester is justified in their attitude over Tom Cannon because of Kelechi Iheanacho’s contract dilemma.
Even though they still had Patson Daka, Jamie Vardy, and Kelechi Iheanacho at their disposal, they had some firepower missing.
Ayoze Perez left the King Power Stadium when his contract expired, and former star players Harvey Barnes and James Maddison completed transfers to Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively.
To make up for these departures and give themselves the best opportunity of securing a Premier League return at the first time of asking, the Foxes needed all the attacking firepower they could muster.
Their summertime endeavors have undoubtedly paid off, as Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi have emerged as crucial offensive players for the Midlands.
Given the lack of playing time for the former Everton player this season and the availability of Vardy, Iheanacho, and Daka as forward alternatives, it wouldn’t have been shocking if Leicester had made him available for a loan move during the approaching January transfer window.
Daka’s goals in the Foxes’ last two games won’t have helped Cannon, who has only made two appearances while at his present club, to get regular starts.
To be fair, he made these outings in Leicester’s last two games against Millwall and Plymouth Argyle, so even with Vardy and Iheanacho back, he should have hope that he will play more frequently for the Foxes.
The Irishman appears content to stay at Leicester City beyond the upcoming month, despite his limited playing time. Alan Nixon indicates that the club currently has no intentions of allowing him to go on a temporary loan this winter, despite receiving inquiries from a “handful” of clubs seeking a potential loan transfer to provide the forward with more playing opportunities.
Leicester City’s decision may seem perplexing considering the likelihood of Vardy, Iheanacho, and Daka starting ahead of him when the quartet is fully fit. Mavididi, who can also play as a striker, has demonstrated his attacking prowess this season, making a loan move understandable for him.
Yet, looking at the forward department, there’s a significant reason why the club might prefer to retain Cannon at the moment. With Vardy aging and Daka attracting interest from other clubs, retaining Cannon becomes crucial. While Daka has been valuable in recent games, Leicester City has a history of selling key players, and the possibility of his departure cannot be ruled out.
If a good offer is received in January, they might consider selling him.
And the Foxes might be eager to have Cannon and other players above him in the pecking order, since they are more likely to be involved in the team’s long-term future, if he stays put next month and still doesn’t sign a new contract.
It’s not like Cannon lacks experience either; he has demonstrated his ability to score goals at this level, so Enzo Maresca can put his trust in him to play consistently before Iheanacho.
If Maresca has learned anything from the past two games, it is that, with Vardy and Iheanacho out of the picture, having depth in the striker position is crucial.
That’s just one of the numerous explanations for why it makes sense for Leicester to keep Cannon.
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