Leicester City are said to be “really interested” in a move for the Turkish international defender Merih Demiral during the upcoming January transfer window. The 21-year-old has suffered from a lack of game time since joining the Serie A champions Juventus this summer.
Italian journalist Nicolo Schira has stated that the Foxes are preparing an offer to the value of €30m (£25.4m) to the Turin club and that a contract offer until 2024 is on the table.
#Leicester are really interested in Merih #Demiral. Foxes are ready to offer €30M to #Juventus for the turkish player. For him a contract until 2024 with a wages of €3M a year, but Paratici would not want to sell him. #transfers #LCFC
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) December 15, 2019
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It’s also understood that Juventus’ Chief Football Officer Fabio Paratici is not willing to sell the player so soon after his acquisition.
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Demiral has impressed at international level and was part of the Turkish side that sealed qualification for next summers Euro 2020 tournament. The former Sassuolo defender now has 12 caps for the senior side and already shares a close relationship with Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu who is also part of the national team setup.
The Foxes look as though they may well be playing in the Champions League next season in which case they will need a deeper squad. Jonny Evans has formed an excellent partnership with Soyuncu at the King Power Stadium but given he’s the wrong side of 30, perhaps Rodgers sees the Turkish pair as the future of the club.
According to TransferMarkt.co.uk, Demiral is valued at £18m but given his age and the promise he has shown, its unlikely that a bid of less than £25m would bring Juventus’ negotiators to the table.