Fiorentina are reportedly keen to sign Leicester City centre-back Caleb Okoli this summer following the club’s relegation to League One. Okoli is one of the players expected to have a number of suitors as City aim to rebuild the squad.
The Foxes have suffered back-to-back relegations in the past 24 months with Okoli part of both sets of players. He joined the club from Atalanta in the summer of 2024 for around £13million.
During his time at the King Power Stadium, Okoli was called-up to the Italy national team squad on three different occasions. He never made it off the bench in their Nations League campaign and he hasn’t been called-up since.
Now, two years into his five-year contract at Leicester, Okoli is expected to be one of the many players who are exploring their options this summer. Interest from Serie A has been growing since January, with Bologna and Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese previously interested.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fiorentina are pursuing a move for the 24-year-old alongside Burnley’s Luca Koleosho. It’s suggested that Fabio Grosso’s side are prioritising their core of Italian players for the 2026/27 season.
The report states that sporting director Fabio Paratici and general manager Alessandro Ferrari have travelled to New York to meet with President Giuseppe Commisso to agree on transfer plans for the summer. Okoli is currently one of the names included.
Formerly of Atalanta, SPAL, Cremonese and Frosinone, Okoli has played 101 games in Italy and his availability in the window is thought to be an attractive one for Fiorentina. Gazzetta claim that the defender is valued at €10m (£8.6m).
Centre-back partners Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard are also expected to part with City this summer. Ben Nelson has already been linked with a move to Manchester United, with top-tier Championship clubs also showing interest.
Okoli joins Nelson as City’s most-valuable defenders this summer meaning interest this early is only a positive.
Josh Holland’s verdict: I previously talked about Okoli and how much Leicester should be demanding around him. I said £7m so the fact that one of Italy’s highly-reputable outlets is suggesting closer to £9m is good news for the Foxes.
Okoli is an athletic defender and his pace is, in comparison to the other centre-backs at City, one of his strengths. However, there was also a gust of apprehension whenever he was named in a starting XI. His passing let him down and there was also a mistake in the waiting.
For the club, it’s a sale that makes perfect sense. On the players side, returning to Fiorentina after a two-year stint full of lows in England would be ideal. The Italian national team are going through change and the most-recent squad included 19 debutants and 11 without Serie A experience.
At 24, there is every possibility that he could force his way into the national team next season. The European Championships are two years away and the Gli Azzurri will be desperate to redeem themselves after failing to qualify for this summer’s World Cup.
Playing in League One when he should be entering the prime of his career isn’t what Okoli needs or should want. Agreeing a return to Italy and letting City bank a fee would be the dream start to the window.
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