Leicester City Football Club have secured the services of promising young defender Caleb Okoli on a permanent deal from Serie A side Atalanta, pending Premier League and international clearance.
The 22-year-old centre-back, born in Vicenza, Italy to Nigerian parents, has committed to a five-year contract with the Foxes as they gear up for their return to the Premier League in the 2024/25 season.
Okoli, who represented Italy at the EURO U21 Championships in 2023, expressed his excitement about the move to Foxes Hub.
“I think now is the right moment [for me] to make a step forward and a very big one. I’m very happy with the choice I made, so I’m very excited to start in the Premier League. Now I’m here in Leicester I’m feeling ready to start with my new team.
“It was the right opportunity and it’s very important for me. The Premier League is the best league in the world. Leicester is a beautiful club, an important club and the two combined together, so I took this opportunity to come and express myself in the Premier League,” he said.
The defender’s journey began with Atalanta in 2015, where he won the National Youth Super Cup with the Under-19s in 2019. He gained valuable experience through loan spells at SPAL and Cremonese in Serie B before making his Serie A debut for Atalanta in August 2022.
Last season, Okoli impressed during a loan spell at Frosinone, making 37 appearances across all competitions. His performances have caught the eye of Leicester City, who have moved swiftly to secure his signature.
