Russell Martin should make Championship striker his first Leicester City signing, he’s Jamie Vardy’s perfect replacement

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With Russell Martin poised to take charge at Leicester City, his priority should be securing a proven Championship goalscorer. 

This key signing will be crucial to fill the huge void left by Jamie Vardy’s departure.

EFL Analysis exclusively reported this week that the Foxes are closing in on securing Martin’s services.

This news follows confirmation that Leicester are preparing for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s imminent departure, with the former Southampton manager identified as the club’s primary target.

Martin, the 39-year-old manager eager to return to the dugout since his Southampton exit in December, now stands on the verge of taking the reins at the King Power Stadium.

As the managerial transition gathers pace, identifying and securing a prolific Championship marksman should be Martin’s immediate focus to ensure Leicester hit the ground running in their quest for promotion.

Russell Martin could reunite with Joel Piroe at Leicester 

If Martin takes charge at Leicester, his first signing should be a statement of intent, and one player he knows well is Joel Piroe. 

The 25-year-old is currently at Leeds United and had a significant season at Elland Road. 

The forward scored a league-high 19 goals in the Championship, earning him the Championship Golden Boot award. 

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Before joining Leeds, Piroe was at Swansea City where he came into contact with Russell Martin. 

Martin’s arrival coincided with Piroe joining the club in the summer of 2021. Across two seasons with Martin as manager, Piroe established himself as a vital player and a consistent goal threat.

In the 2021-22 campaign, he netted an impressive 22 Championship goals and earned the Swansea City Player of the Year award. 

He followed this with another strong season in 2022-23, scoring 19 league goals. Martin frequently lauded Piroe’s ‘brilliant’ finishing ability. He quickly became a cornerstone of the Swansea attack and thrived under Martin’s leadership.

Why would Joel Piroe want to leave Leeds? 

Leeds United fans may be thinking, ‘Why would Joel Piroe want to leave? We have just been promoted to the Premier League.’

But some reasons aren’t completely unrealistic. While Piroe was a key player for Leeds in the Championship, the step up to the Premier League often sees promoted sides strengthen their attacking options. 

Leeds could conduct some serious transfer business in the transfer window, and bringing in a more consistent striking player could see Piroe fall down the pecking order. 

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At a different Championship club, particularly one with promotion aspirations, like Leicester, Piroe might be seen as the main star and given more leadership responsibility, which could further develop his game and confidence. 

If Piroe had any doubts about securing regular playing time or adapting to the top flight with Leeds, a move to a Championship side with a strong chance of competing for promotion, like Leicester, could offer a more certain path to consistent football at a high level.