Monaco have improved their offer for Leicester midfielder Boubakary Soumare after their initial £15m bid was rejected, as Brendan Rodgers looks to recoup the £23m Leicester paid for him last summer
- French midfielder Boubakary Soumare struggled in his first season at Leicester
- He is now being chased by Monaco, who have already had one bid rejected
- It has been a quiet transfer window for the Foxes, who have made one signing
- Brendan Rodgers has not ‘freshened the squad’ as much as he would have liked
Monaco have made an improved offer for Leicester midfielder Boubakary Soumare.
The French club made an initial offer of £15 million last month, but it was rejected by Brendan Rodgers as he hoped to recoup the £23m they spent on the 23-year-old in 2021.
Soumare struggled to establish himself at Leicester last season, playing just 19 league games.
Boubakary Soumare joined Leicester for £23 million at the start of last season
It has been a quiet summer for the foxes so far that has seen them make just one signing: former Huddersfield goalkeeper Alex Smithies.
They have already lost Kasper Schmeichel, while key players Wesley Fofana and James Maddison have both been linked with moves away from the club.
There has been some good news, though, as talismanic striker Jamie Vardy is close to agreeing a new deal.
Brendan Rodgers rejected a £15 million bid for the midfielder as he wants to recoup the fee
Despite uncertainty in his dressing room, Brendan Rodgers remained upbeat as he spoke to reporters ahead of Saturday’s clash with Arsenal. He said: ‘What you learn through experience is there’s no point in losing your head over it.
‘The club has given me so much since I’ve been here and I’ve got huge respect for Khun Top [chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha], his family and the board. I’m no less ambitious than any other manager, especially where we’ve taken the club over the last couple of years.
‘Of course, I want the club to continue to progress and improve. There’s also a patient element to it, which unfortunately in modern life can be difficult.’
The Leicester boss said he has not ‘freshened up the squad’ as much as he would have liked
Rodgers went on to acknowledge his side’s quiet summer, saying: ‘We’re not in the same level and league as some of the other teams that have the resources so we always have to be really careful how it’s managed. As a manager of course I would have loved to freshen up the squad but I haven’t been able to do that.
‘There’s still a lot of growth in this squad. I’ve seen improvements in the last three and a half years since we’ve been working together, and that’s what I will continue to do until my last day here.’
‘It’s still going to be one where the club need to try and move on some players and see what that releases, there’s no guarantee for us at this stage.’
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