Everton dan Sunderland Pantau Abdul Fatawu Jelang Penurunan Leicester

Klub Premier League Everton dan Sunderland dilaporkan sedang memantau situasi penyerang sayap Leicester City, Abdul Fatawu, yang berpotensi dijual pada bursa transfer musim panas 2026 akibat krisis finansial dan ancaman degradasi ke League One. Pemain internasional Ghana tersebut menjadi target utama setelah Leicester terpuruk di posisi ke-23 klasemen Championship hingga Jumat, 17 April 2026.

Leicester City saat ini mengantongi 41 poin dari 42 pertandingan, tertinggal empat poin dari zona aman dengan sisa empat laga musim ini. Kondisi finansial yang buruk, yang sempat menyebabkan pengurangan enam poin pada Februari lalu, memaksa The Foxes menurunkan label harga Fatawu dari 30 juta poundsterling menjadi sekitar 20 juta poundsterling.

Di tengah perjuangan menghindari degradasi, kebijakan manajer Gary Rowett yang lebih mengutamakan pemain senior menuai kritik dari para analis LeicestershireLive. Amie Wilson menilai beberapa pemain muda seperti Jeremy Monga dan Joe Aribo layak mendapatkan menit bermain lebih banyak untuk mengubah dinamika tim.

"For me, it’s between two players, depending on how you want to look at it. I do think Jeremy Monga should be given more time in the starting line-up, especially considering the struggles that Stephy Mavididi has had this season." tulis jurnalis sepak bola Amie Wilson.

Wilson menambahkan bahwa meskipun ada risiko memainkan pemain berusia 16 tahun, kemampuan menyerang Monga memberikan unsur kejutan yang dibutuhkan tim saat ini.

"I do, however, see the reluctance to throw a 16-year-old into a team that’s making basic errors in attack and defence. Mavididi does work hard to cover his defender, and you could lose that slightly with Monga coming in." papar Amie Wilson.

Terkait opsi lini tengah, Wilson juga menyoroti minimnya kesempatan bagi Joe Aribo yang baru mencatatkan satu kali starter sejak bergabung dengan klub.

"But I think that he should be given a chance from the start, given what he can do in attack and the unpredictability that he brings." lanjut Amie Wilson.

Wilson menyarankan agar Rowett mencoba skema baru dengan menempatkan Aribo di posisi gelandang tengah untuk mendampingi Jordan James atau pemain lainnya.

"The second one for me is Joe Aribo. He has started once since joining the club, and only made a couple of appearances off the bench in a wide position." kata Amie Wilson.

Wilson menegaskan bahwa Rowett sebenarnya memiliki beberapa opsi untuk melakukan rotasi di sektor tengah guna memecah kebuntuan permainan.

"Given Rowett’s comments about changing the team, I would quite like to see Aribo given a chance in central midfield, either alongside Jordan James, with either Divine Mukasa or Bobby De Cordova-Reid in the number 10, or one of Oliver Skipp or Harry Winks, with James then playing further forward. The good news is that Rowett has a few options to change around the midfield." pungkas Amie Wilson.

Sementara itu, Daniel Orme menyoroti nama bek muda Bade Aluko yang dianggap sebagai solusi potensial bagi masalah di sektor bek kanan Leicester musim ini.

"In honesty, I think most of the senior pros within the City squad have had a fair crack of the whip this season. Those that haven’t have been restricted to the sidelines through injury so it’s difficult to say they would be deserving of more opportunities." tulis Daniel Orme.

Orme merasa heran mengapa Aluko, yang dinilainya bertalenta, tidak dipilih sebagai pelapis Ricardo Pereira ketimbang memainkan Hamza Choudhury di luar posisi aslinya.

"There is one standout name for me though and it’s Bade Aluko. The 19-year-old has made just five league appearances this season, with his first start ending in disaster with a red card at Southampton." ujar Daniel Orme.

Meskipun Aluko masih sangat muda, Orme menekankan bahwa bakat bertahannya seharusnya bisa dimanfaatkan lebih baik dalam kampanye musim ini.

"But he’s clearly a talented defender and he should have been the solution to Leicester’s right-back woes. When Ricardo Pereira has needed a rest, Aluko should have been drafted in instead of the out-of-position Hamza Choudhury." tambah Daniel Orme.

Orme merasa situasi di mana Aluko jarang mendapatkan kesempatan bermain di tengah krisis pertahanan adalah hal yang membingungkan.

"Of course, it might be too soon to suggest that Aluko should be a regular starter in the side but given the issues that City have faced in defence, it’s somewhat baffling that he hasn’t had more opportunities throughout the campaign." tegas Daniel Orme.

Koresponden klub, Jordan Blackwell, mendukung argumen mengenai Aluko, terutama dalam situasi di mana Leicester perlu mengejar ketertinggalan skor.

"Aluko should have been given more opportunities, especially late in games when City have been chasing a result, simply because he provides something different, and something unpredictable." tulis Jordan Blackwell.

Blackwell memahami jika Rowett ragu menjadikannya starter karena kecenderungan menyerangnya yang berisiko meninggalkan celah di lini belakang.

"It’s understandable that Rowett would not trust him to start matches. He’s still learning the ropes and his attacking tendencies mean he’s more likely to be caught out of position." ungkap Jordan Blackwell.

Namun, gaya bermain Aluko yang berani menggiring bola dari lini belakang dinilai bisa memberikan variasi serangan yang tidak dimiliki bek Leicester lainnya.

"But the way he gets forward from full-back, dribbling really confidently, racing down the line and getting beyond his winger, is different to how City’s other full-backs play. That helps add variety to City’s attacking play." jelas Jordan Blackwell.

Blackwell merujuk pada momen saat melawan Charlton di mana Aluko menunjukkan keberanian membawa bola melewati lini tengah lawan.

"There was a moment in the defeat to Charlton when he played at centre-back where he carried the ball through the middle of the pitch. It was a fearless move, and an unexpected one, and Charlton didn’t know what to do to stop him." kata Jordan Blackwell.

Kemampuan untuk melakukan hal-hal yang tidak terduga dianggap sebagai elemen kunci yang dibutuhkan Leicester saat kesulitan membongkar pertahanan lawan.

"That’s what City need when they’re struggling to break down the opposition. Somebody who is going to do something out of the ordinary." tutup Jordan Blackwell.

Di sisi lain, minat Everton terhadap Abdul Fatawu didorong oleh keinginan David Moyes untuk memperkuat sektor sayap. Berdasarkan data Football Insider, Fatawu telah mencatatkan 16 kontribusi gol (9 gol dan 7 assist) dari 41 penampilan di Championship musim ini, menjadikannya salah satu komoditas panas di bursa transfer mendatang.