Given his potential, Tom Cannon’s move to Sheffield United may seem premature, but City must act now to maintain their Premier League standing.
For years, Leicester City has been looking for someone to replace Jamie Vardy. However, they are selling their most recent prospective heir before he can demonstrate his suitability for the throne.
After just 18 months and five City starts, Tom Cannon will soon be joining Sheffield United. Many supporters believe that the choice is hasty and short-sighted.
They believe that City is undervaluing a 22-year-old who may be leading their line for the next three years in order to receive a quick payout. Cannon was bought to a contract worth £7.5 million, and it appears that he will be sold for £10 million, with Everton receiving a share of the proceeds.
There have been numerous indications that Cannon has the potential to become a standout forward. He shown excellent mobility, poise, speed, and strength even during his City game time. He can also hit a ball with some force.
He has scored 11 goals in 25 games for Stoke, which is a respectable total for a team that has had a difficult season. According to common sense, those attributes should get better as he ages, gains wisdom, and gains experience.
The fan base is worried that City would regret this transaction. And there are concerns that when they are down to the Championship in a few months and are unable to use a young striker they know can score goals in the division, that regret will come to pass.
Why, therefore, are they carrying it out? It might be short-sighted thinking. Perhaps they are only concerned with the present and have spotted a chance to earn some cash that they can use to fund the team and possibly keep them in the division.
Any acquisition involves a risk since it is impossible to predict with certainty whether a new hire will be successful. However, City must make an effort. They need to make some acquisitions to help them stay in the Premier League this season, as that is their best chance for future success. Not selling Cannon will have significantly less of an impact on their chances of surviving than a successful deal in a crucial position.
However, it’s also possible that they have long-term plans. Selling Cannon now, while his stock is high, is the best way to ensure City makes their money back with a little extra. Perhaps their assessments over the last 18 months indicate that they don’t think he will achieve the level they are aiming for.
Although it would be hard to understand how they arrived at that decision from the outside, it is true that Cannon currently possesses Premier League potential rather than Premier League quality. There is no guarantee that he will pass.
Furthermore, City has frequently come under fire for not earning money from their benchwarmers. Because of the generous contracts they offer, they have had trouble moving undesired players on for fees, and some players who could be worth a few million dollars find up leaving for nothing. At least they are profiting from a player who isn’t on their roster right now.
Naturally, it would be great if City had the money to spend on players this month rather than having to sell Cannon. This would allow them to evaluate his potential for a little while longer and provide a more accurate picture of whether he has what it takes. However, they are not there.
The club doesn’t look good, but they can’t dwell on that. To avoid relegation, they must take the initiative. The club’s regrets about how they handled the striker’s position will be significantly lessened if the Cannon money is used to make a signing who is crucial to keeping City afloat.
