Leicester City have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Juventus defender Merih Demiral. Calciomercato are reporting that the Serie A giants have no intention of selling the Turkish international at any cost.
The 21-year-old has struggled to establish himself in the first-team this season but has played in the recent fixtures versus Udinese, Sampdoria, Lazio and Cagliari alongside Leonardo Bonucci and is said to have impressed.
Will LCFC turn their attentions to another central-defender this month?
Yes
No
It’s understood that Leicester City, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund have all had bids rejected for the centre-back in recent months because the club’s hierarchy see him as part of the club’s immediate and long-term future.
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The news will come as a huge blow to Brendan Rodgers who is said to be an admirer of Demiral’s game. The 46-year-old will need to look elsewhere for the central-defensive cover he feels his squad are in need of.
The Foxes are in a great position to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League but in order to cope with the extra demands of European football, they will need to strengthen and another centre-back appears to be a priority.
Juventus never showed any indication they were willing to sell the player, but given his lack of opportunities in the first half of the season, you can understand why this was a deal Leicester felt they could get over the line.
Whether they turn their attentions to another target or hold out until the summer in the hope they can get their man remains to be seen, but the transfer window comes and goes extremely quickly. There’s no time to dwell on the disappointment.