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Sports Mole identifies five midfielders that Leicester City could sign to replace Youri Tielemans in the summer transfer window.
Leicester City bolstered their squad in the January transfer window, recruiting defenders Harry Souttar and Victor Kristiansen from Stoke City and FC Copenhagen respectively.
They also signed winger Tete from Shakhtar Donetsk, but their attention in the summer is expected to turn to central midfield.
With Youri Tielemans out of contract at the end of the season, the Belgium international is set to leave on a free transfer amid interest from the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona.
The Foxes will now be scouring the market for potential transfer targets as they look to replace the 25-year-old in the summer.
Here Sports Mole looks at five midfielders that Leicester could sign ahead of the 2023-24 season.
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Mahmoud Dahoud has made 137 appearances during his time with Dortmund, scoring five goals and providing 16 assists.
However, injury issues have restricted him to just six competitive appearances this term, while he is also behind the likes of Jude Bellingham, Salih Ozcan and Emre Can in the pecking order.
Dahoud’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and the Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl has revealed that they will not be offering him a new deal.
Having only played for Borussia Monchengladbach and Dortmund in his career, Dahoud has never played outside Germany, but Leicester are believed to be interested in the 27-year-old.
With Tielemans set to leave the club for nothing, signing Dahoud as his replacement on a free transfer could be an appealing proposition for the Foxes.
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Rani Khedira has been a key figure in Union Berlin’s side this season, starting 21 of the club’s 22 Bundesliga matches.
The 29-year-old is currently enjoying a successful campaign with the German side, who sit in third place in the Bundesliga table – three points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.
Khedira’s impressive performances in the centre of Union’s midfield has led to interest from a number of English clubs, including Brendan Rodgers‘s side.
Although Union are keen to retain his services, Khedira could leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Should the Foxes decide to pursue Khedira’s signature, they could face competition from the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
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Another player who would be a cheap option for the Foxes would be Roberto Gagliardini, who has entered the final months of his Inter Milan contract.
As a result, the 28-year-old is now free to enter negotiations over a pre-contract agreement with other clubs.
In his time with the Nerazzurri, Gagliardini has won a Serie A title, a Coppa Italia and two Italian Super Cups.
The Italian midfielder, who has made 178 appearances for Inter, has reportedly been the subject of an enquiry from the Foxes.
Once again, Leicester will have to fend off the competition, with Galatasaray linked with a potential move, while there was also interest from Nottingham Forest in the January transfer window.
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Another player currently plying their trade in the Italian top flight is Lecce midfielder Morten Hjulmund, who helped his side win promotion to Serie A last season.
The midfielder has made 23 appearances for Lecce this term, contributing four assists to a side that are currently sat in 15th place – 10 points above the drop zone.
The Lecce captain, who has a contract until June 2024 was reportedly the subject of an €11m (£9.7m) bid from Southampton, which was subsequently rejected.
Leicester have reportedly sent scouts to watch the Danish international in action as they continue to monitor his progress.
However, the Foxes are not the only side keeping tabs on the 23-year-old, with Juventus, Roma and Atalanta all believed to be interested in a potential transfer.
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While there is currently no indication that Leicester are considering a move for Alex Scott, he could be someone that is worth monitoring.
The 19-year-old has made 39 appearances for the Robins across all competitions this season, scoring one goal and providing five assists.
Despite ending up on the losing side, the midfielder was praised for his performance in Bristol City’s 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday.
Newcastle are believed to be leading the race for the youngster, while the likes of Crystal Palace Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United are all believed to be interested.
Scott is under contract until June 2025, which will put Bristol City in a strong negotiating position should a bidding take place in the summer.
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