Leicester City’s first two games of the Premier League season will have shown manager Steve Cooper that there is still work to do before the transfer window slams shut on Friday.
Fraser Spinney
Leicester City followed up their opening day draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 defeat at Fulham which will have left Steve Cooper disappointed.
The concern with both matches will relate more to the performance than the results, as Leicester were second best by a stretch in both fixtures.
Tottenham laid siege on Leicester’s goal before a second-half Jamie Vardy goal against the run of play rescued a point in the 1-1 draw on Monday night.
Against Fulham, Leicester fans hoped to see an improved team display and, whilst there were periods where the Foxes looked capable of causing problems, the Cottagers were value for their win.
Cooper will undoubtedly want to focus on incomings in the remaining few days of the transfer window, but he appears to have now decided to sell a player who only joined last summer in a bid to generate funds and space in his squad.
Steve Cooper sanctions sale of Leicester City striker Tom Cannon
Cooper is light on options in attacking areas and will want some more firepower to come in and boost the Leicester survival bid.
Vardy returning to fitness ready for the start of the season was an unexpected boost, but Patson Daka will be out for a few months with an ankle injury.
The club have brought in both Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Jordan Ayew this summer, with the versatile pair having played as strikers before in their careers.
Currently, though, the only other out-and-out centre forward at the club is 21-year-old Tom Cannon, but it would appear Cooper has no plans on relying on the youngster who he left out of the squad against Fulham.
Journalist Alan Nixon has revealed via his Patreon that Leicester are “looking to sell striker Tom Cannon – with Sheffield United and Stoke City trying to raise the cash.”
Nixon reports that Leicester have “decided to cash in on Cannon a year after signing him from Everton and they will seek a similar £7 million fee.”
He goes on to say: “[The] Blades are finalising a takeover and had hoped to land Cannon on loan for their promotion push but they are working on a loan to buy offer.
“Stoke are also long-term admirers of Cannon but may be reluctant to put the money down immediately for the forward.
“Cannon is still in contract for four more years but wants to play and in waiting for the right offer to consider.”
Leicester could regret selling Cannon so soon
After an impressive loan spell at Preston in the 2022/23 season Leicester had seen enough to convince them to pay Everton £7 million for Cannon’s services.
It was a difficult first season as the King Power for Cannon as he scored just two league goals whilst finding opportunities hard to come by behind Vardy, Daka and the now-departed Kelechi Iheanacho.
It is perhaps understandable, then, that Cooper is not depending on Cannon to play a big role this season but this could be viewed as being shortsighted from the club.
Cannon is still only 21 and is clearly a talented player.
After a goalscoring performance for Preston against Reading in April 2023, former West Ham striker Dean Ashton was left impressed by what he saw from the youngster.
Ashton said: “Yeah, almost a one in two man, which at Championship level is incredible for such a young player – with such little experience.
“But, he is looking more and more comfortable and confident. Another lovely finish to add to the others he has produced this season.
Cooper may see the £7 million the club could get for a sale as vital for helping towards signing a higher calibre striker this summer, but Leicester could rue letting Cannon leave permanently if he lives up to his potential elsewhere.
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