Who do we need (Summer 2026)

[LCFCJohn]

27 minutes ago, LCFCCKEANO said:

Think we have every chance of a top L1 striker. Despite our mess we are probably still just as attractive as lower mid table champ sides if not moreso, as if we can course correct they could be a key player for a top end championship side in a year or two without needing to move twice

 

Edit- Do understand the course correction isn’t likely from our perspective but from an outsider it may mean they choose us over a Portsmouth or Charlton

I’m talking cost. 
 

The brightest L1 strikers (Tolaj and Ballard) are contracted for a number of years to 2029. Last summer, probably the best equivalent Kone went to the Championship for £6 mill and he had only a year left on his contract. Given the extra years the ones this year are under contract for,  you’re realistically looking at at least £8 mill, potentially more either basic or with add ons.

 

I then ask myself where we are getting £8 mill from and it becomes obviously to me they we won’t be shopping in that particular market!

[County Fox]

36 minutes ago, LCFCCKEANO said:

If we can spend a little I’d like Webster from Burton, Tickle from Wigan and Tolaj from Plymouth, and look at Cozier-Duberry either on loan or permanent too 

Webster is a good shout. One year left on his contract, will likely make Burton open to offers in the summer? Someone with a potential high ceiling as well. 

[County Fox]

3 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

I’m talking cost. 
 

The brightest L1 strikers (Tolaj and Ballard) are contracted for a number of years to 2029. Last summer, probably the best equivalent Kone went to the Championship for £6 mill and he had only a year left on his contract. Given the extra years the ones this year are under contract for,  you’re realistically looking at at least £8 mill, potentially more either basic or with add ons.

 

I then ask myself where we are getting £8 mill from and it becomes obviously to me they we won’t be shopping in that particular market!

Agreed, we will not have 8 million to spend on a Striker and nor should we in my opinion. If Orient were to ask 8 million for someone like Ballard then we should just move on.

 

Even 3-4 million is probably a stretch for us atm, but more likely the ballpark that we will find ourselves in hunting for a main striker. It will likely force us to look abroad, if L1 clubs start asking high amounts. 

[LCFCJohn]

6 minutes ago, County Fox said:

Webster is a good shout. One year left on his contract, will likely make Burton open to offers in the summer? Someone with a potential high ceiling as well. 

Probably more realistic than the striker sunder contract to 2029 that you have just quoted me. One year left at least means a small fee.

 

If we had a midfield 3, I wonder if Page and Webster if signed could sit either side of Braybrooke as 8’s bombing forward. Thinking like KDH did under Maresca.

[moore_94]

31 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

I’m talking cost. 
 

The brightest L1 strikers (Tolaj and Ballard) are contracted for a number of years to 2029. Last summer, probably the best equivalent Kone went to the Championship for £6 mill and he had only a year left on his contract. Given the extra years the ones this year are under contract for,  you’re realistically looking at at least £8 mill, potentially more either basic or with add ons.

 

I then ask myself where we are getting £8 mill from and it becomes obviously to me they we won’t be shopping in that particular market!

Jayden Wareham at Exeter

 

22 years old with 19 goals and 2 assists this season

 

Will only have 1 year left in the summer and Exeter may get relegated, and they are also having money issues

[LCFCCKEANO]

1 hour ago, LCFCJohn said:

I’m talking cost. 
 

The brightest L1 strikers (Tolaj and Ballard) are contracted for a number of years to 2029. Last summer, probably the best equivalent Kone went to the Championship for £6 mill and he had only a year left on his contract. Given the extra years the ones this year are under contract for,  you’re realistically looking at at least £8 mill, potentially more either basic or with add ons.

 

I then ask myself where we are getting £8 mill from and it becomes obviously to me they we won’t be shopping in that particular market!

Kone was 2-2.5 rising to 5, although I do agree with the main part of your point. Do think there will be some wiggle room as far structuring a deal could go, for example if Tolaj is rated at 5m by Plymouth we could backload the deal with bonuses for promotion and goals scored etc, think at most it’d be 3-5m for one of the two listed, still asking a lot of our mess

[AKCJ]

2 hours ago, moore_94 said:

Jayden Wareham at Exeter

 

22 years old with 19 goals and 2 assists this season

 

Will only have 1 year left in the summer and Exeter may get relegated, and they are also having money issues

Ex-Derby but another cheap option with a lot of experience at that level would be Jack Marriott.

 

Sounds daft to suggest a player like him given 5 minutes ago we were looking at players like Dani Olmo but that's life under the little man.

 

16 goals in 23 for Reading. Proper grafter as well, the sort of player traditionally loved at Leicester.

[LCFCJohn]

4 hours ago, moore_94 said:

Jayden Wareham at Exeter

 

22 years old with 19 goals and 2 assists this season

 

Will only have 1 year left in the summer and Exeter may get relegated, and they are also having money issues

Yeah he’s the one that jumps out. Transfer market does suggest an extra year is an option so might be a year or 2 but probably less and like you say if Exeter go down.

[LCFCJohn]

3 hours ago, LCFCCKEANO said:

Kone was 2-2.5 rising to 5, although I do agree with the main part of your point. Do think there will be some wiggle room as far structuring a deal could go, for example if Tolaj is rated at 5m by Plymouth we could backload the deal with bonuses for promotion and goals scored etc, think at most it’d be 3-5m for one of the two listed, still asking a lot of our mess

Less than I thought. Maybe the figure I had it my head was the posturing they did beforehand. 
 

Id still imagine if we are spending fees at all, we’ll look for players with a year left. Wareham above maybe.

 

Hard to know what we will do. 

[Tuna]

Steve Cook leaving QPR and before the laughter emojis appear, we don't know how desperate we may be this summer

 

[Kinowe Soorie]

I asked AI what forwards are available on a free transfer 2026, that have scored 15 plus goals, from The Championship and League One. Interesting.

Edited 21 April by Kinowe Soorie

[CloudFox]

This may be a terrible shout, but for some experience and leadership, do we think Matty James might come back? He has been a big part of Wrexham's side this year, but he'll only have a year left to run on his contract, and you'd imagine they'll go all out for promotion next season. He might be a casualty.

 

Then again, I doubt he'd want to drop down a league again.

Edited 21 April by CloudFox

[Tuna]

52 minutes ago, CloudFox said:

This may be a terrible shout, but for some experience and leadership, do we think Matty James might come back? He has been a big part of Wrexham's side this year, but he'll only have a year left to run on his contract, and you'd imagine they'll go all out for promotion next season. He might be a casualty.

 

Then again, I doubt he'd want to drop down a league again.

He'd immediately be our best midfielder. We should be looking at players Wrexham discard on their way up.

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

I asked AI what forwards are available on a free transfer 2026, that have scored 15 plus goals, from The Championship and League One. Interesting.

A number of these are wrong.

 

Ballard - 2029

Wareham - 2027 

Marriott - 2028

Taylor - 2029 

Clarke - 2029

 

Good news is 38 David Mcgoldrick is indeed out of contract and available! Fletcher too.

[Tuna]

Would look at Ryan Barnett as well from Wrexham, looked good and direct when he came on at our place.

[kingfox]

1 hour ago, CloudFox said:

This may be a terrible shout, but for some experience and leadership, do we think Matty James might come back? He has been a big part of Wrexham's side this year, but he'll only have a year left to run on his contract, and you'd imagine they'll go all out for promotion next season. He might be a casualty.

 

Then again, I doubt he'd want to drop down a league again.

A bit bias, but I’d take Matty James back in a heartbeat.

 

The most underrated Leicester City footballer of the last 15 years.

[Kinowe Soorie]

3 hours ago, LCFCJohn said:

A number of these are wrong.

 

Ballard - 2029

Wareham - 2027 

Marriott - 2028

Taylor - 2029 

Clarke - 2029

 

Good news is 38 David Mcgoldrick is indeed out of contract and available! Fletcher too.

Apologies on behalf of AI…

[LCFCJohn]

3 hours ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

Apologies on behalf of AI…

Oh I’ve had some right nonsense from it. I asked it a bit back where we would have to finish to be in our worse 10 seasons (obviously what has happened since has made that easier)! And I was told by a particularly venomous poster I was an idiot essentially for trusting AI . So I’m not doing that!

 

I had looked up some of these to see the likelihood which is how I knew. I don’t think we will be spending fees and relying on loans and freebies anyway but if someone had a year left maybe.

[FoxesWalk]

10 hours ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

I asked AI what forwards are available on a free transfer 2026, that have scored 15 plus goals, from The Championship and League One. Interesting.

How tf is McGoldrick still going? Must be 45 

[Silebyfox_89]

USA striker Afeckin Miracle 

[TonyN11]

We'll have to use our academy players to a large extent plus a number of season long loans.

This is assuming players will risk damaging their careers with us. 

[TonyN11]

11 hours ago, FoxesWalk said:

How tf is McGoldrick still going? Must be 45 

He's 54

[Ric Flair]

Our biggest obstacle along with all our bunce for God knows how long going straight to Macquarie is we do not have the recruitment and scouting structure that understand what is required here to rebuild in the right manner.

 

Everything needs ripping up immediately.

[Muzzy_no7]

Lewis Freestone

[Les-TA-Jon]

I'm not being facetious here - do we have any faith that our recruitment system has any real knowledge of League One level players or how to operate in this market?