Why Leicester City should plot a summer swoop for James Tarkowski

Back in December 2019, The Express (h/t Leicester Mercury) had claimed that Leicester City were interested in signing Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski. However, no move materialised during the January transfer window.

James Tarkowski, 27, has played every single minute of the campaign for Burnley, scoring and assisting a goal apiece. The 27-year-old, who is under contract at Turf Moor until 2022, has been one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders over the last two years and is also an England international now.

With Tarkowski enjoying another impressive campaign with the Clarets, Leicester City must rekindle their interest in the defender when the summer transfer window starts.

The Foxes are in a position of strength as far as the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League is concerned. They have coped well with the departure of Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United in an £80m deal last summer.

Caglar Soyuncu has been a revelation for Leicester City this season, stepping up to the plate and forming a strong partnership with Jonny Evans at the back. This has seen Brendon Rodgers’ side concede only 28 goals in 29 games, which makes the Foxes’ defence third-best in the division behind Liverpool and Sheffield United.

However, there is a lack of depth in Leicester’s central defence department. Rodgers did manage to sign Ryan Bennett on loan from Wolves in January but with Wes Morgan, 36, having entered the final stages of his career and Filip Benkovic currently out on loan at Bristol City, the Foxes need options at the back next season.

Not to forget, Evans is also in his 30s. Keeping that in mind, Rodgers should look to add fresh faces to increase competition ahead of next season. To that end, James Tarkowski would be a good fit at the King Power Stadium.

Tarkowski came through the youth ranks of Oldham Athletic, where he made 89 appearances across all competitions before joining Brentford in January 2014. He spent three seasons with Brentford, amassing four goals in 74 appearances. In February 2016, the Englishman joined Burnley and he has since been a regular fixture in their backline.

The 27-year-old has made 114 Premier League appearances for the Clarets, scoring four goals so far. In the last two Premier League campaigns, Tarkowski made 66 appearances combined. At the age of 27, this may be his best opportunity for Tarkowski to test himself at a higher level and play in Europe.

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The England international would not only bolster Leicester’s backline but also add depth to Brendan Rodgers’ squad. Tarkowski is a proven Premier League defender and would be a solid addition for the Foxes.

Verdict

Hence, Rodgers would be wise to acquire the Burnley defender’s signature ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.