What to know about Leicester City transfer target Sampson Dweh | OneFootball

Ruud van Nistelrooy will be under no illusions should his side fail to remain within the Premier League: it will be difficult to do strong transfer business after possibly losing several main talents and being unable to fill the gaps with top talent. That is where all the recent links come into play. The King Power Club have identified a need for new forwards and defenders, with their midfield being comparatively strong.

According to reports, the Liberian centre-back Sampson Dweh has caught the interest of ‘Rudkin et al’ thanks to an impressive run of form in the Czech Chance Liga. Standing above 6.1 feet and boasting powerful physical attributes for his young age, the defender might be just the ticket the Dutchman needs to impose his vision of the game on Leicester.

Leicester City’s system and Dweh’s fit

Ruud van Nistelrooy naturally wants the Foxes to impose a possession-based playstyle onto the game, whereby they hold onto the ball as much as possible, spread themselves very wide in the final third with near-enough most players being up, and then passing it around each other until an opportunity arises. The premise is simple, the execution is difficult in absence of technically gifted players and those who might assist in winning back possession in midfield or our defensive third.

We saw the benefits of a player who is more agressive in applying pressure higher up the pitch against Chelsea, where Luke Thomas took on a left-sided centre-back role to support Victor Kristiansen. The Englishman drifted into midfield to apply pressure and put in a challenge when an attacking midfielder held possession, thus disrupting play and reducing the number of clinical chances the Londoners had.

This particular style is exactly the natural fit for Sampson Dweh. It is widely understood the Liberian likes to break with the defensive line both out and in of possession to win the ball in midfield or progress the ball from midfield. This can be seen in his heat map from the 2024-25 Chance Liga season thus far. The talent is usually on the right side of the defence and offers both an aggressive and progressive force for Plzen.

Additionally, when under challenge or putting in challenges, we see a player who’s timing and threat-sense are impeccable for his age. When compared to his peers across the top five European leagues, Dweh ranks above the 90th percentiles in all defensive categories and ranks highly in shots taken, progressive passes received and expected assists. This paints a beautiful picture of what the defender would bring to Leicester City’s preferred system.

When out of possession, his determination and inclinations to press, challenge, and win the ball will stop attacks in their tracks and give the Foxes an opportunity to quickly build out from the back right into their final third. In addition to this, while on the ball, Dweh rejects being stationary: he will move up the pitch, support progression retention, and even try to get into a shooting position if possible.

In Nistelrooy’s team, Sampson Dweh would be the direct replacement - and significant defensive upgrade - to Wout Faes. The Belgian international resists this progressive urge at times, but when he does follow through, supporters see the Dutchman’s football come alive: movement, space creation, and then a powerful shot at goal.

Leicester will not be the only ones tracking the Liberian defender, but they must be the most serious. Even should they fall back into the Championship, the Foxes will need a player who can take that role and improve the starting XI within the system Nistelrooy wants to play. That has to be Dweh, regardless of the price they have to pay.