Exclusive: Leicester City deal on verge of collapse as rival club rage at tactics
Leicester City attempts to sign St Etienne defender Wesley Fofana look dead in the water, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.
The Foxes have held talks over a deal for the centre-back, 19, as they look to complete a deal before the 5 October cut-off.
A Leicester source has told Football Insider that the deal now stands on the verge of collapse as St Etienne are ready to pull the plug on negotiations.
The French club are said to be "furious" at the Premier League club's tactics for luring the teenager and don't want to deal with them any more.
That means Fofana's publicly-stated aim of signing for Leicester could now be over.
Fofana, who made 24 appearances for St Etienne in a breakthrough campaign in 2019-20, has been vocal on social media of his desire to move to the King Power Stadium.
He revealed in one interview with French media that he has already agreed personal terms with Leicester.
St Etienne have refused to cave in and have held firm in their desire to keep hold of the £25m-valued youngster.
Fofana was left out of the St Etienne squad to play Nantes on Sunday evening, having previously been named by manager Claude Puel in the original larger group that travelled to Nantes.
Leicester have targeted the teenager this summer as they look to strengthen their defensive options for this season.
Injuries and suspensions meant that Brendan Rodgers had to play Wilfred Ndidi in an unnatural centre-back role against West Brom, although the midfielder impressed and could play that role again versus Burnley.