Leicester confident of Cambiasso capture, Hull close on Dawson

Leicester City, 3/1 shots with Coral to be relegated from the Premier League this season, are edging closer to signing free agent and ex-Inter Milan midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.

A leak from the King Power Stadium earlier this month that negotiations were taking place could have scuppered the deal, angering Foxes boss Nigel Pearson, but he appears positive about landing the former Argentina international once more.

“There has been a bit more encouragement in terms of the Cambiasso situation,” Pearson told local radio after seeing Leicester lose 2-0 at 11/10 title favourites Chelsea. “I’m more hopeful now than I was before the weekend.”

Pearson seems keen to add competition for places among his Foxes squad, and was linked in the tabloid press over the weekend with moves for Wolves winger Bakary Sako and Ghana striker Majeed Waris.

Cambiasso, who spent 10 years until this summer at the blue half of the San Siro would add substantial experience to Leicester’s ranks. Pearson has lost fellow veteran Dean Hammond and Danny Drinkwater both to injury from the opening two Premier League games, reducing his midfield options.

Matty James, who like Drinkwater is an academy graduate of Manchester United, picked up a shin problem in training and is also sidelined until after the international break. That leaves Andy King as the only fully fit first-team midfielder available to Pearson for the Capital One Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town.

Hull City, 11/4 chances for a top 10 finish, meanwhile, have agreed a deal in principle to sign Tottenham captain Michael Dawson, according to manager Steve Bruce.

The 30-year-old is yet to make a competitive appearance under new Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Capped three times by England, Dawson will add substantial experience of European competition to the Tigers’ ranks, provided they can overturn a 1-0 Europa League play-off deficit in the upcoming second leg with Belgian team Lokeren.