Leicester City are struggling to find their footing in their first season back in the Premier League.
The Foxes, having dismissed Steve Cooper, are now under the leadership of Ruud van Nistelrooy. Early signs suggest the Dutchman has brought an improvement.
Van Nistelrooy has managed to secure four points from a possible nine, a respectable start for a team embroiled in a relegation battle.
However, the road ahead remains arduous, and Leicester are in desperate need of reinforcements when the January transfer window opens.
A new striker should be top of their priorities. Jamie Vardy, though still a key figure, is approaching his 38th birthday and cannot carry the attacking burden alone.
This highlights a missed opportunity – the sale of one of their former forwards who is now thriving in the league.
Leicester must regret selling Chris Wood for £3m
Chris Wood joined Leicester from West Bromwich Albion in January 2013, following an impressive loan spell with Millwall. The powerful striker scored 20 goals in 62 appearances for the Foxes but was sold to Leeds United in 2015 for just £3 million.
Since then, Wood has flourished. He became one of the Championship’s top marksmen before securing a £15 million move to Burnley, where he proved himself in the Premier League.
A high-profile transfer to Newcastle United followed, but it was at Nottingham Forest where Wood truly hit his stride.
This season, the New Zealander has scored ten goals in just 16 appearances, putting him behind only Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, and Cole Palmer in the Premier League scoring charts.
For Leicester, currently reliant on the inconsistent Odsonne Edouard to support Vardy, Wood’s form must feel like a bitter reminder of what they lost.
Wood outperforming Jamie Vardy
While Vardy has enjoyed a solid campaign, Wood has eclipsed him. Leading Nottingham Forest’s attack, Wood has been instrumental in their rise to a Champions League spot.
His performances are set to earn him a lucrative new contract, making him one of Forest’s highest-paid players.
At 33, Wood has entered the same conversation as players like Andrej Kramaric – another “what might have been” for Leicester City. As they battle for survival, the decision to sell him now looks like a grave misstep.
