Five striker transfers Leicester City must consider for Jamie Vardy replacement

Signing a successful striker is one of the most difficult tasks a club can face.

Leicester City know that all too well. Nearly all of the forwards they have brought in since winning the Premier League title have struggled to deliver.

There have rarely been moments where Jamie Vardy’s position as first-choice striker has been under threat, despite his age.

Those that have arrived just haven’t provided the same impact and goals that Vardy has. Kelechi Iheanacho perhaps came closest but even then, his best form came alongside Vardy rather than in place of him.

This summer, City can’t get it wrong. Vardy won’t be at the club to bail them out if they do.

Whoever comes in to be the club’s new first-choice frontman has to be a hit. Here are five players for the club to target.

Richard Kone

The League One player of the season is bound to attract Championship interest this summer, especially if Wycombe don’t win the play-offs. Perhaps there will be Premier League clubs interested too.

Because Kone’s route to professional football is so unique that it’s difficult to know what his ceiling is.

Playing non-league football after representing Ivory Coast at the Homeless World Cup, his professional career only began 18 months ago. His first full season has seen him score 18 League One goals.

Given that lack of experience, and given he’s only 21, it feels like there should be plenty of room to develop for a player who is a raw talent.

Would he be too raw for a club hoping to challenge for promotion like City? There would be a risk to it.

But he does look like an all-round striker, someone who can sniff out goals but also use his physique to battle defenders and bring team-mates into play.

Promise David

Another striker who has had an interesting route up the ranks is Union SG’s David. Hailing from Canada, he’s played in Croatia, Malta, and Estonia before this season in Belgium’s top flight.

He’s quickly adapted, scoring 21 goals in 37 games this season, his form improving as the campaign has gone on.

That ability to adapt quickly would bode well for the 23-year-old to hit the ground running if he did move to City in the Championship.

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Mathias Kvistgaarden

The last time City were relegated, they headed to Brondby to sign goalkeeper Mads Hermansen who has proven to be one of their best pieces of business in recent years.

So why not go back to the Danish club for their striker? Kvistgaarden has slowly worked his way up the rank at Brondby but has really blossomed this season, and now looks ready for a move.

He’s scored 22 goals in 33 games across all competitions, showing off intricate dribbling, speed, doggedness, and cool finishes.

The 23-year-old will have plenty of suitors, but perhaps the path forged by Hermansen would help convince him that City are the right club to sign for.

Franculino Dju

Another striker playing in Denmark who City are already reportedly taking a look at is Franculino, a 20-year-old Guinea-Bissau international playing for Midtjylland.

He’s also an excellent dribbler, and recently, perhaps slightly sarcastically, compared himself to Lionel Messi.

But he’s not a flash in the pan. He’s been delivering goals for two seasons now, scoring 17 last year and with 15 in 37 games so far this season.

Eliezer Mayenda

Maybe the way to go is to simply buy the best young striker in the Championship this season.

Sunderland’s 19-year-old forward Mayenda is the standout candidate for that title after a terrific campaign with the Black Cats.

He’s scored eight goals and provided five assists while the underlying statistics look really good, the Spaniard able to get himself into good positions to score and create for others, while also carrying the ball really well. He knows how to beat a man.

He would be pricey though, with suggestions that Sunderland would want around £15m-£20m.

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