Leicester City will have to eagerly wait it out until Monday evening to play their first game back in the Premier League, as Tottenham Hotspur travel to the King Power Stadium in what should be a tasty opening day clash.
Steve Cooper's side haven't had the best time preparing for the season ahead, however, with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to RC Lens recently closing out their less than ideal pre-season schedule.
Therefore, it wouldn't be a great shock to see a number of new signings enter in through the door between now and transfer deadline day at the close of the month, with two major purchases on the agenda.
Leicester winning battle for ex-Premier League star
As per a report from Football Insider, it looks increasingly likely that ex-Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha will don Leicester blue this campaign, as the Foxes push hard to get his coveted signature over the line.
The Eagles had also thrown their hat into the ring to try and win back their former icon, but it looks now as if Cooper's men are in the driver's seat, with the need for new attacking reinforcements a clear priority.
Zaha isn't the only name floating about at the King Power currently that can bolster the Welshman's choices up top, however, as a further loan deal for Adam Hlozek looks also close to being done for the newly promoted side.
What Zaha can offer alongside Hlozek
Both signings would be major statements of intent from the East Midlands outfit in their bid to survive in the top flight, with Hlozek in and around Xabi Alonso's first-team last season at Bayer Leverkusen as they stormed to the Bundesliga title, whilst Zaha has been to known to terrorise Premier League defences for fun when playing at the peak of his game.
The £119k-per-week winger – as per Capology – could well welcome a return back to England, after struggling to adjust to his new surroundings out in Galatasaray, with a respectable but unspectacular ten goals managed from 43 clashes in Turkey.
When at his blistering best for the Eagles, Zaha was a joy to behold, seen in the audacious goal above that he managed against Hull City back in 2016, as the Tigers were left stunned by his spellbinding footwork.
Stat – per 90 mins*
Zaha
Games played
27
Goals scored
7
Assists
2
Shots*
2.4
Big chances missed
6
Big chances created
3
Total duels won*
6.3
Even when it became more and more clear that the Ivorian attacker was going to be moved on from Selhurst Park, he was still operating as an impactful livewire for his side, with seven strikes bagged from 27 league clashes during the 2022/23 season.
Winning 6.3 duels on average per game too during his swansong campaign, the experienced 31-year-old could be an option Cooper relies on to stretch tired teams in crucial games to come near the foot of the division, with Zaha giving the likes of Stephy Mavididi great competition down the left flank as a result.
Hlozek, on the other hand, could be a necessary injection of youth into the Foxes ranks, away from seasoned attackers such as Jamie Vardy leading the line, with a thunderbolt strike up his sleeve for Leverkusen like the above shot cannoning in.
Despite only starting five times last campaign in the Bundesliga, the raw Czech forward would bag two goals, and Hlozek will give Cooper a versatile presence who can play as a striker or down the wings if required.
Both attacking players could play crucial roles going forward, therefore, with Zaha – who was once described as "unplayable" by pundit James Collins – eager to strut this stuff in England again, after venturing out to Turkey.
On the contrary, Hlozek will aim to prove Alonso wrong about allowing him to leave on loan, as Cooper continues to build a squad that he hopes can take the Premier League by storm.
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