Title defence plans begin: Leicester City sign defender Luis Hernandez from Sporting Gijon

Leicester have agreed to sign Sporting Gijon defender Luis Hernandez on a free transfer, the Premier League champions confirmed on Tuesday. Hernandez will join Claudio Ranieri’s side on a four-year contract when his current deal with the La Liga side expires at the end of June. [caption id=“attachment_2847896” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Luis Hernandez (R). Reuters[/caption] The 27-year-old becomes Leicester’s first signing of the close-season as Ranieri bolsters his squad for their title defence and maiden Champions League campaign next season. “Leicester City Football Club are delighted to announce that Spanish defender Luis Hernandez will join on a four-year deal, starting on 1 July, 2016,” a statement on the club’s website read. Hernandez, a product of the Real Madrid youth academy, played 140 games for Gijon and helped them preserve their La Liga status on the final day of the season. He will join up with his new team-mates when they return to training in July and could feature in Leicester’s pre-season campaign, which includes matches against Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic as part of the International Champions Cup. Leicester are also reported to be ready to make an improved offer of £30 million ($44 million, 39 million euros) for Watford striker Troy Deeney. The Foxes have already had bids of £15 million and £25 million rejected by the Hornets.