UK Edition
Transfer deadline day at Leicester City - how scouting network came good in frantic final 24 hours
Leicester City are set to officially complete the £22 million signing of Adrien Silva next week, in a deal which was pushed through on a frantic deadline day.
Silva has agreed a four-year deal to end a lengthy pursuit for the Sporting Lisbon midfielder, with the influence of former recruitment chief Steve Walsh's scouting network still proving beneficial at the King Power Stadium.
It is understood that Silva, and loan signing Aleksandar Dragović, have both been on Leicester’s radar for at least 18 months, long before Walsh’s departure to Everton to become director of football last July.
Leicester made their move for Silva on deadline-day afternoon, when it became clear Chelsea were finally prepared to pay the £35m asking price for Danny Drinkwater, and a deal was agreed with Sporting in four hours.
Silva left the Portuguese national team in a hurry, flying to England for talks as Leicester put the finishing touches to Drinkwater’s move to the champions.
But Leicester’s interest in the 28 year-old has been strong for some time and he came close to joining the club last summer.
There were protracted negotiations over a double deal for Silva and Islam Slimani but it was the striker who signed on deadline day, as Sporting got cold feet over selling both players.
Silva was considered an option again this year but it was only Drinkwater’s determination to join Chelsea which pressed Leicester into action. Leicester made it clear to Michael Emenalo, Chelsea’s technical director, that Drinkwater would not be sold unless they found a replacement, and the wheels were set in motion.
After requesting a two-hour extension from the FA to get the deal done, the paperwork was completed on time and Silva’s transfer is expected to go through in the next few days when Fifa approve international clearance.
He could make his debut next weekend against Chelsea, with Drinkwater also poised to make his bow at his old club.
Silva is a technically-excellent midfielder, seen as a player who can keep the ball and link up play, despite a lack of obvious pace.
He and Dragovic were the final signings in what appears an excellent transfer window for Leicester, spearheaded by director of football Jon Rudkin, new recruitment chief Eduardo Macia and head of technical scouting Ollie Waldron.
There were serious questions over the signings made last year, after that memorable title triumph, with many of the misfits including Nampalys Mendy, Ron-Robert Zieler and Bartosz Kapustka offloaded this summer.
But this window has seen a change in policy with a clear intention to recruit the right type of character, players who will embrace the dressing room ethos which proved so crucial in that memorable season under Claudio Ranieri.
The likes of Harry Maguire, already called up by England, Kelechi Iheanacho and Vicente Iborra hint at a brighter future under Ranieri's replacement Craig Shakespeare.
Other late deals to go through on deadline day were Fernando Llorente’s £12m move to Tottenham, which left Chelsea’s Antonio Conte stunned.
Crystal Palace also agreed a £26m fee with Liverpool for defender Mamadou Sakho, who proved so influential at Selhurst Park on loan last season.