According to The Pitch Prospect, Leicester are ready to announce the £3million signing of Parma right-back Woyo Coulibaly.
The Foxes need to strengthen their squad this month to avoid immediate relegation back to the Championship.
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The Midlands side have turned to the 25-year-old after deciding against a move for Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters.
Walker-Peters – in the final six months of his contract at St Mary’s – has been linked with a January exit.
The Saints have put a £7million price tag on the 27-year-old but their valuation was deemed too high by Leicester.
The club’s ongoing PSR compliance concerns are believed to be a major factor in the decision not to pursue Walker-Peters – despite him being available for a reduced fee.
As a result, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have turned to Coulibaly after an impressive Serie A season so far.
Leicester were desperate to strengthen their defense after suffering a difficult first half of the season and ending up in the Premier League relegation zone.
They have conceded 44 goals in their first 20 games, the second-most goals conceded in the division.
There was a lot pointing to the full-backs, with James Justin in particular coming under increasing scrutiny.
The England international, who has already won several international matches, has suffered several long-term injuries and looks full of confidence at Leicester’s right-back.
Some of Justin’s side’s goals were due to a lack of defensive support from Leicester’s other players, but many fans have seen enough and calls for Justin to be left out of the starting XI are growing louder by the week.
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Ricardo Pereira was Leicester’s preferred right-back in last season’s Championship campaign, but an injury to the Portuguese defender leaves Justin the only recognized right-back in the squad.
Therefore, finding a replacement was high on Leicester’s agenda as the club have now completed the signing of Coulibaly from Parma.
Coulibaly has taken part in 14 Serie A games this season, providing two assists.
Leicester continue to walk a fine line between wanting to strengthen their squad to avoid relegation and avoiding putting further financial pressure on themselves, particularly as relegation becomes a real possibility this season.
The club has bankable assets in Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and summer arrival Bilal El Khannouss.
But there would be a clear reluctance to part ways with either at the halfway point of the season, with survival still the big goal.