Leicester City had an eventful transfer window this summer, but not everything went according to plan as they missed out on several key targets.
Manager Steve Cooper did secure a few notable signings, with Oliver Skipp and Bilal El Khannouss arriving for hefty fees, while Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid joined on more modest deals.
However, it wasn’t until Deadline Day that Leicester finally managed to bring in a striker, after failed moves for Santiago Gimenez, Adam Hlozek, and Fotis Ioannidis. Ultimately, Odsonne Edouard was signed on loan.
One player who was high on Leicester’s wishlist earlier in the summer was winger Matias Soule, but the Argentine talent opted for a move to Roma instead, signing from Juventus for £25 million.
Soule had caught the eye during a loan spell at Frosinone, where he impressed under manager Eusebio Di Francesco, who said the young winger “doesn’t lack qualities and has excellent dribbling.”
When it became apparent that Juventus were willing to sell Soule, several clubs scrambled for his signature, with Leicester among the frontrunners. However, the player himself recently revealed why he decided against a move to the Premier League.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Soule explained: “Leicester wanted me so much, both the coach and the sporting director called me to convince me of their project.
“But then I felt the affection of [Daniele] De Rossi, of Roma, of the teammates who contacted me, and I decided from that moment to say no to all the other clubs and to think only of Roma for all these reasons plus one.”
Soule’s decision to join Roma seemed to be driven largely by his admiration for De Rossi, the club’s iconic figure who had taken on the managerial role.
However, in a surprising turn of events, De Rossi was sacked just weeks into the new season. Soule had started Roma’s first three Serie A games but was left on the bench during their 1-1 draw at Genoa.
The winger, who has yet to register a goal or assist for his new club, now finds himself at a crossroads.
Roma’s poor start to the season, with just three points from four matches, led to De Rossi’s dismissal, even though the team had only suffered one defeat in that run. The decision has raised eyebrows, as the club legend was still in the early stages of shaping his squad.
For Soule, the timing of De Rossi’s departure may be unfortunate, given that he had cited the manager as the primary reason for rejecting Leicester.
The winger now faces uncertainty about his role at Roma, with no guarantee that the new manager will favour him as De Rossi did.
Had he chosen Leicester, Soule might have been in a more stable position, with a fanbase eager to welcome him. Instead, the young Argentine will now have to navigate the next chapter of his career with his future at Roma far from secure.