Leicester City appear to have been handed a deadline day boost by Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest with Steve Cook expected to replace Harry Souttar at Stoke City, according to talkSPORT (31 January, 12.25pm).
Daniel Amartey has, at times, done a respectable job in difficult circumstances this season; forced to fill in at centre-half due to Jonny Evans’ ongoing calf problems.
But the arrival of a more natural centre-half will be more than welcome at the King Power Stadium. Leicester, the BBC say, have agreed a £15 million fee with 6ft 7ins Australian colossus Souttar.
The former Dundee United giant, who impressed at the Qatar World Cup, should undergo a medical today, and should slot in neatly alongside Wout Faes in Brendan Rodgers starting XI.
Leicester appear to have been handed an inadvertent leg-up by Midland rivals Nottingham Forest too. Veteran defender Cook, talkSPORT say, is likely to be on his way to Staffordshire as Souttar’s successor.
Leicester City are close to signing Harry Souttar from Stoke
Cook, formerly of Bournemouth, has started 11 Premier League games this season. The 31-year-old has fallen out of favour recently, however, failing to make it off the bench since domestic football returned in December. Nottingham Forest are also signing fellow defender Felipe from Atletico Madrid.
Souttar, meanwhile, adds youth and presence to Leicester’s often error-prone backline. With his fearsome aerial prowess and trademark raking diagonals, Souttar could be what the Foxes thought they were getting when Jannik Vestergaard arrived from Southampton in the summer of 2021.
“Harry Souttar obviously has been enormous. He is enormous,” Australia legend Mark Schwarzer tells Optus Sport of Souttar; highlighting his role in the Socceroos’ impressive World Cup campaign in the Middle East.
“He’s definitely going to a Premier League club. There’s been some mention of West Ham. I could see him fitting in really, really well with David Moyes in that squad. That would be my guess at this moment.
“(Crystal Palace) would also suit Harry because he can play any type of system. And he is more than capable of playing the ball out the back.”
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