Report: Leicester City to Rival Sevilla for Getafe, Togo Defender Djene Dakonam
Leicester City is preparing a £25m bid for Getafe defender Djene Dakonam, but face stiff competition from La Liga side Sevilla for the 26-year-old's services.
According to France Football, Foxes manager Claude Puel is very keen on signing the Togolese defender, who only joined Getafe on a four-year deal this time last year.
The 56-year-old manager has already signed two defenders already this transfer window - West Brom's Jonny Evans on a £3m deal and Porto right back Ricardo Pereira for £20m - but is looking for an additional centre half following the double departure of Robert Huth and Aleksandr Dragovic.
Leicester, however, is confident of completing the signing of Djene and will look to make its first approach for the defender this weekend.
Sevilla has also expressed an interest in the 26-year-old as Los Rojiblancos search for a replacement for Clement Lenglet, who left for Barcelona last week after the Spanish champions activated his €35m release clause.
However, the Andalusian club are unwilling to pay what Leicester are set to offer Getafe for Djene, and could turn their attention towards Caen defender Alexander Djiku, who could be available for only €10m.
Djene started his professional career in Benin before moving to the Cameroonian First Division in 2011 to play for Coton Sport. He spent three years playing for Les Cotonniers before being scouted and signed by Spanish second division side Alcorcon.
He made 59 appearances for the Madrid side before moving to Belgium in 2016 to play for top-flight side Saint-Truiden. He then made his move to Getafe only a year later.
The 26-year-old has also been capped 31 times by the Tologese national team, and represented his country in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, where he played every game for the Sparrow Hawks before their elimination at the quarter final stage.
