Leicester Defender Shortlisted by Italian Title Chasers

Caleb Okoli a Surprise Milan Target as Defender Prepares for Italy Return

Despite Leicester’s struggles for form this season, their inconsistency has not yet detracted from their players’ market value. Victor Kristiansen, Aaron Ramsey, and Abdel Fatawu boast current valuations in excess of £10 million, while the likes of Jordan James, Stephy Mavididi, and Oliver Skipp are not far behind that mark.

As such, Leicester’s high-value players are still valid transfer targets for sides in upper divisions, whether they be a Premier League side or one abroad.

🚨 #Leicester City defender Caleb Okoli is one of the names that interest AC Milan to strengthen their squad in this January transfer window.
[@tuttosport]#lcfc #transfers pic.twitter.com/lJSKcRT4Rz

— LCFC Daily News (@cuzcuzverde) January 7, 2026

Even so, almost no one would have predicted that AC Milan would see fit to go in for Foxes center-back Caleb Okoli, who, having already come under heavy interest from other Italian sides, looks increasingly likely to return to his home country.

Who is Caleb Okoli?

Born in Vicenza in 2001, 24-year-old Memeh Caleb Okoli came through the youth ranks at Atalanta, and spent the formative years of his career building his game in Italy’s second division with the likes of SPAL and Cremonese on loan.

Quickly, he gained a reputation as a promising future top-flight defender, and his parent club needed little encouragement to bed him into their first team in 2022/23. Though he was predominantly used as a backup, he still managed to play 17 games as Atalanta finished 5th.

Sent out on loan to Frosinone the next campaign, he played all but four top-flight games, but failed to impact the team strongly as they finished in 18th place, tasting relegation back to Serie B.

Still, he had shown enough for Leicester to splash £12.4 million on him as they prepared for their return to the Premier League at the start of the 2024/25 season. Things started well for him, as he became a regular under Steve Cooper in the first half of the season.

But when Cooper was dismissed, and Ruud van Nistelrooy replaced him, the 6 ft 3 in centre back quickly fell out of favour, taking to the pitch in just three of the club's last 11 games of the season as they finished 13 points adrift of safety, returning to the Championship.

BREAKING🚨

Cremonese approached Leicester about the prospect of signing Caleb Okoli

Leicester are not prepared to sell and pushed back the interest @DiMarzio 🥇 pic.twitter.com/XEVm3M2E0a

— Leicester Xtra (@XtraLeicester) December 31, 2025

This season marks the first time that Okoli has spent consecutive seasons at a club, and despite the Foxes' many shortcomings this campaign, Okoli has rarely found himself at fault - his 7.01 rating on FotMob ranks him fifth in performers at the club, a testament to his consistency.

However, even with solid form like that, it is certainly a surprise that AC Milan are showing keen interest in the defender. The Rossoneri sit just a point off the top of the Serie A table, poised to overtake city rivals Inter, and despite boasting the second-best defensive record in the league, Massimiliano Allegri is looking to further bolster his defensive options.

Despite his relatively low-key career to date, Okoli has the perfect blend of Serie A experience and youthful promise, and his burst of pace and aggressive positioning could be the extra dimension AC Milan need to make a success of their season.

Leicester have already rebuffed recent interest for Okoli from former club Cremonese, he made an enquiry for their ex-player in late December, but when a side like Milan comes knocking, it is significantly harder to see them off. With a market value of around £12 million, the Italians could be about to make a steal.