Leicester City enter discussions with Ludogorets over Brazilian winger Jonathan Cafu

Leicester City are reportedly in talks to sign Ludogorets attacker Jonathan Cafu, but face competition from Italy's Lazio and French outfit Lyon. The Premier League champions have been tracking the attacker for a number of months and are believed to have entered discussions with the player's agent.

Cafu, who is yet to be capped by his country Brazil, has scored four times in the Champions League for Ludogorets this season, including one against Arsenal, and has struck seven times in 15 starts in the Bulgarian top-flight. A report from French radio station RMC, relaid by talkSPORT, told of Leicester's interest in the forward, with Claudio Ranieri eager to strengthen his ranks and revitalise the Foxes' underwhelming campaign.

Cafu, real name Jonathan Renato Barbosa, started his footballing career at Brazilian minnows Desportivo Brasil in 2009 and moved to Portuguese outfit Boavista two years later. After making just one appearance for Las Panteras the versatile forward returned to his homeland with Ponte Preta.

Cafu's form soon caught the eye of Brazilian giants Sao Paulo, who signed him from their neighbours before selling him to Ludogorets, who paid a club-record fee of £2m (€2.3m) for his services. The Daily Mails claims that the 25-year-old would command a fee of £10m and, if he did arrive at the King Power Stadium, he would be Leicester's second signing of the transfer window after the arrival of £15m midfielder Wilfried Ndidi from Genk. Cafu's arrival potential could also spell the end of Jeffrey Schlupp's time with the Foxes, with West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace interested in the Ghanaian.

While Ranieri is currently on the lookout for attacking reinforcements he will have to do without club-record signing Islam Slimani and talisman Riyad Mahrez, who are currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations, for his side's clash against table toppers Chelsea on Saturday. The Italian is expecting to welcome back Jamie Vardy for the visit of Antonio Conte's men after he missed Leicester's 2-1 victory over Everton in the FA Cup with a fever.