City bid to seal deal after delay in Tunchev talks
by Bill Anderson
Flight delays yesterday prevented Bulgarian international Aleksander Tunchev from opening talks with Leicester City.
But the club were hopeful the £800,000 deal for the CSKA Sofia defender can be completed today.
Until everything is signed and sealed, the club are making no comment, but there is excitement at the prospect of the 26-year-old seasoned centre-back being added to the squad as new manager Nigel Pearson's fourth signing, with still the possibility of more to come.
Tunchev is expected here for medical formalities and personal terms to be completed before training with his new team-mates next week.
And, as part of their preparation, City will go on a five-day trip to Slovenia, starting a week on Sunday, the day after their opening pre-season game against Hinckley at the Marston's Stadium on July 12.
It will, essentially, be a training trip, but moves are being made to fix up some action against a couple of Slovenian First Division clubs in what is a rather hastily-organised venture in the wake of Pearson's arrival two weeks ago.
There had been discussions regarding a spell at a military training base in Lincolnshire, but Pearson's opinion was that "it is not my style", hence the trip to Slovenia at short notice.
The City boss said: "It will not be a soft option for the players. I can assure you, and the way training has gone this week, I think they will know that from what they have been going through already.
"It is early days in the build-up and, while there is no short-cut to physical conditioning, we have also done a lot of ball work and the players have responded well to what has been asked of them.
"The target is that they will be totally prepared for the opening day of the season and everything is geared towards that."
The Slovenian trip does, however, cast a doubt over one of City's scheduled friendlies, at ex-City favourite Gary Mills's Tamworth on July 19.
As this is due to be played the day after they return from Slovenia, the game - part of the deal which brought Gerry Taggart back to City from non-league football -might now need to be re-arranged.
Barnsley have signed veteran defender Darren Moore from Derby on a free transfer.
The 34-year-old centre-half was believed to be a target for City but opted instead to sign a two-year deal with the Tykes.
