Leicester City could be haunted by £10m deal as striker finds feet ahead of King Power reunion
Republic of Ireland striker Tom Cannon returns to the King Power Stadium this weekend around 10 months since he left the club in a £10m January transfer to Sheffield United
Tom Cannon celebrates scoring for Sheffield United against Sheffield Wednesday(Image: Andrew Yates / Sportimage)
Tom Cannon will return to Leicester City this weekend having finally begun to find his feet at Sheffield United.
Cannon, a £10m sale by City to the Blades in January, has had a difficult time since moving to Bramall Lane, one rocked by injury and poor form.
The 22-year-old scored his first goal of the season and just his second for Sheffield United in 31 appearances when he netted in the Steel City Derby at the weekend. He was then subbed off to a standing ovation in the 3-0 win over Portsmouth on Wednesday night.
Cannon, who partnered Patrick Bamford in a strike pairing against Pompey, will hope he gets the opportunity to keep up his good form when Sheffield United visit the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
“The ovation and applause Tom Cannon received was outstanding from our supporters and I mentioned it to him as he was coming off,” Blades boss Chris Wilder said on Wednesday night.
“(I said) ‘Just have a little look around, everyone appreciates it when you play like that and you’re positive and on the front foot.’
“I thought (the partnership) was the right one. We could’ve quite easily risked Tyrese (Campbell) but that would’ve been the easy decision but I’m not here to make easy decisions, I’m trying to make the right decision.
“The partnership today I thought was pretty good, Pat comes in and links it and is a physical threat and Tom’s a runner off the backline.”
After Cannon’s goal against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, Wilder had said: “He’s been working away and hopefully that will lighten the load off of him a little bit. He’s in the early part of his career.
“He’s a good character, good personality. He has to produce more of those moments and hopefully he will. He’s got all the attributes to be a good player, and hopefully that will give him a little boost.”
Cannon scored three goals in 13 games for City but never managed to establish himself at the club.
Joining from Everton in a £7.5m move in summer 2023, Cannon was initially injured, but did well when first called upon with Jamie Vardy out injured and Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho at the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, he quickly slipped behind Vardy and Daka in the pecking order, and then was unfancied by Steve Cooper, and so was loaned out to Stoke for the first half of last season before City chose to sell.
After scoring at the weekend, Cannon said: “It meant a lot. It’s been hard coming to a new team in January. It’s taken time to come in and settle. I’ve had a few setbacks with injuries. To get that goal means the world.
“We know how much it means to the fans. To score in this game is surreal. I always back myself regardless of the situation. I have full self-belief. I don’t listen to any negativity. I stay tunnel visioned.”
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