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The transfer window may be closed but the work continues for Leicester City’s recruitment team.

Unless they pick up a free agent, City will not be making any further signings until the new year, but the scouts, analysts and decision-makers behind the club’s transfers will be keeping busy as they prepare for the windows in January and next summer.

Here’s a look at the club’s transfer priorities in 2020.

A new centre-back

After selling Harry Maguire to Manchester United for £80 million, a world-record fee for a defender, in the final week of the summer window, City set about trying to bring in a replacement. They fell short.

Enquiries were made over Nathan Ake, but Bournemouth returned a price-tag of £75m and City quickly turned their attentions elsewhere.

A bid of £30m was then made for James Tarkowski but was rejected by Burnley, who wanted at least £40m.

Rather than pay over the odds, City eventually chose to stick with their current options and Caglar Soyuncu showed against Wolves that may be a wise decision.

However, that does not mean City will end their centre-back pursuit.

Asked if City would try again for a Maguire replacement in January, Brendan Rodgers said: “We’ll have a look.”

If a deal does not materialise in January, a notoriously difficult window in which to operate, City will certainly bring in a defender next summer.

Skipper Wes Morgan signed a new one-year deal to take his stint at the club to 2020, but in a backseat role this season, a further extension is unlikely to follow. He will be 36 next summer.

(Image: James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)

Speaking about the search for a Maguire replacement last month, Rodgers said: “You’ve got to look at the strategy behind Wes, where he’s at and how long he can go on. If we bring in another one it’s for the next few years.”

If City and Rodgers are thinking long-term, a return for Tarkowski may not happen.

Although centre-backs usually have a longer shelf-life than the average player, Tarkowski will be 27 next summer and spending big on the England international would go against the current trend.

In the summer window, 41 players were signed for £10m or more by Premier League clubs. Only one, Jay Rodriguez, was 27 or older.

A new left-back

There is a similar scenario for City on the left side of defence.

Christian Fuchs, now in his fifth campaign at the King Power Stadium, may finally up sticks next summer after twice extending his City contract and delaying his move to New York City, where he plans to rejoin his family.

Like Morgan, Fuchs signed a one-year deal this year, taking him to summer 2020.

City will need to prepare for his departure and line up a new left-back to become Ben Chilwell’s deputy, just as they did with James Justin after Danny Simpson was released this summer.

A new winger

“He knows what he needs to work on.”

That’s what Rodgers said when explaining why Demarai Gray had been left out of his matchday squad.

The City boss has previously said he assesses his wide-men on their output of goals and assists so if Gray, nor Ayoze Perez, Marc Albrighton and Harvey Barnes can reach the levels Rodgers wants, a new winger could be on the agenda next summer.

(Image: Plumb Images)

Prepare for the worst

Each summer for the past four seasons, a top-six club has signed one of City’s high-profile players. Before Maguire went to Manchester United this summer, Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater and N’Golo Kante left for Manchester City and Chelsea.

Such is the talent in City’s squad, the elite clubs will come sniffing again next summer.

As young English stars, Ben Chilwell and James Maddison, both already linked with a host of leading outfits, are likely to have the most suitors, but Wilfred Ndidi and Ricardo Pereira could also see their names pop up in the gossip columns.

Rodgers has admitted that it can be difficult for City to resist when top-six sides come calling and stressed the importance of a player ‘pipeline’, meaning that if one player goes, another is ready to step straight in.

City may have to backfill the pipeline next summer.