Leicester City is reportedly willing to surpass the amount Zenit St. Petersburg is prepared to offer for Lucas Beraldo, according to a report from UOL (via Sport Witness).
The Foxes are gearing up for the upcoming transfer window, set to open in a fortnight.
This period could be pivotal for many Championship teams aiming to secure promotion to the Premier League, including Enzo Maresca’s side, which is currently performing exceptionally well but is not guaranteed a top-two spot at the end of this season.
Both Ipswich Town and Leeds United are also in the race for automatic promotion, and although the latter’s recent drop of points will benefit the Foxes, the latter cannot afford to rest on their laurels.
They managed to complete some excellent summer deals, and the funds generated from player sales are expected to aid them in winter additions at the King Power Stadium.
The latest on Leicester City’s interest in Lucas Beraldo:
Beraldo is one player linked with a January move to the Midlands side, with the central defender potentially joining Maresca’s team.
The 20-year-old has been a regular starter for São Paulo when fit and available, catching the eye of several European teams.
Russian side Zenit is reportedly happy to offer $18 million to lure the young defender away from Brazil – a substantial offer that São Paulo rejected, according to UOL.
They are keen to generate at least $20 million for him, and while it’s unclear how much the Foxes are willing to offer, they are prepared to offer more than Zenit, giving them a good chance of completing the deal.
The same report states that São Paulo needs to cash in on a player to improve their cash flow.
Leicester City should think twice before spending $20 million+ on Lucas Beraldo
Spending more than $10 million on a player in the second tier is a risk, let alone $20 million.
That’s why the Foxes need to take him on loan first before having the obligation to buy him for a set fee if they are promoted.
That’s the only deal they should be looking to consider at the moment, even though they generated a decent amount of revenue in the summer from departures.
They could potentially pursue an option to buy, but an obligation to buy if promoted may be the only acceptable deal for Sao Paulo, who will want to be pretty much guaranteed a decent amount of money.
Leicester isn’t guaranteed to win promotion, but it looks likely.