Leicester City are reportedly interested in signing Atalanta BC defender Caleb Okoli, with a deal between the two clubs close.
The 22-year-old is a highly-rated centre-back in Serie A, where he spent the 2023-24 season on loan at a side battling to avoid the drop to the second tier.
Okoli featured on 34 occasions for strugglers Frosinone but was unable to help prevent his temporary employers from finishing inside the relegation zone of Serie A.
The youngster also possesses relative international pedigree, having featured 14 times for Italy Under-21s since making his debut at that level in 2021.
According to reports in Italy - via The Sun - Leicester are closing in on the signing of Okoli, who is set to become a Premier League footballer.
The Foxes secured an immediate return to the top flight last season after winning the Championship title under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca.
It is believed that Leicester and Atalanta have agreed a £12.7m deal for Okoli, with the arrival of the centre-back at the King Power Stadium imminent.
The East Midlands outfit are also said to be edging towards the permanent acquisition of Sporting Lisbon winger Abdul Fatawu, who spent the 2023-24 term on loan at the Foxes.
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Matty Cash to AC Milan is off?
Elsewhere in the Premier League, it is understood that a dream move to Serie A for one player is off the cards following the turn of the month.
Keen to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability rules, Aston Villa sold Douglas Luiz and Tim Iroegbunam to Juventus and Everton respectively at the end of June.
Cash was another Villan who could have departed, with Italian giants AC Milan keen on a move for the Poland international, making him a priority.
However, according to Calciomercato, the San Siro club will now move onto other targets following the end of the accounting deadline for Villa.
Unai Emery's side are not as desperate to raise funds since the deadline has passed, meaning that they have revised their asking price for the 26-year-old.
Looking to move on, it is understood that AC Milan are considering a swoop for Tottenham Hotspur right-back Emerson Royal, who played second fiddle to Pedro Perro in North London last season.
Ange Postecoglou has openly spoken of his desire for a major summer overhaul at Spurs, who struggled for quality options, especially in their backline, during the 2023-24 campaign.
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De Cordova-Reid 'close' to Fulham exit
Finally, there are reports that Bobby De Cordova-Reid could be on his way out of Fulham following a five-year stint at the West London club.
The Jamaica international's contract at Craven Cottage expired at the conclusion of last season, and talkSPORT are claiming that discussions over new terms have gone badly.
Therefore, De Cordova-Reid is set to join newly-promoted Leicester on a free transfer, linking up with the Foxes for the start of the 2024-25 season.
The attacker played a bit-part role for Marco Silva's side last term, starting only 17 Premier League matches, scoring two goals and providing two assists.
It is believed that new Foxes head coach Steve Cooper is keen to take advantage of De Cordova-Reid's versatility, as he can operate on both wings.
Carter White
