Leicester City have been linked with a move for Borussia Monchengladbach winger Jonas Hofmann ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
What’s the story?
According to German outlet Bild, the Foxes are keen to prize the 28-year-old away from the Bundesliga outfit as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his squad over the summer.
The report also claims that fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and La Liga giants Atletico Madrid are vying for Hofmann’s signature.
Rodgers needs him
Leicester enjoyed an impressive 2020/21 campaign, sealing their maiden FA Cup crown before narrowly missing out on a Champions League qualification spot.
Injuries to several key stars badly affected Rodgers’ charges throughout the season, with a lack of strength in depth noticeable upon their absence.
Harvey Barnes was flying before a serious knee injury ruled the 23-year-old out for the remainder of the campaign, and the drop-off in quality among his direct replacements led to a slight change of system for the Midlands outfit.
AS Roma forward Cengiz Under arrived on a season-long loan last summer and was expected to add an exciting and intriguing option to the Leicester attack.
However, the Turkey international failed to settle in England, with Rodgers seemingly remaining unconvinced over his tactical discipline.
Although Under would have been the most natural alternative to the injured Barnes, Rodgers often opted for either Ricardo Pereira, a full-back, or Ayoze Perez, an attacking midfielder, to fill the void out wide.
Under made just one Premier League start during his time at the King Power Stadium, failing to find the back on the net while on league duty throughout a bitterly disappointing loan spell.
His return to Rome leaves the door open for a replacement which Rodgers desperately needs, and director of football Jon Rudkin may have found the perfect one in Hofmann.
The Germany international has impressed at Monchengladbach for many years now and was particularly impressive in 2020/21, bagging eight goals and providing 13 assists in all competitions.
If Leicester want to finally break into the top four next season, then the addition of Hofmann could prove to be pivotal.
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