Leicester agree to sign centre back Fofana from St Etienne

FILE PHOTO: AS Monaco's Aleksandr Golovin in action with Saint Etienne's Wesley Fofana REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File Photo

FILE PHOTO: AS Monaco's Aleksandr Golovin in action with Saint Etienne's Wesley Fofana REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/File Photo

LONDON, September 30 (Reuters): Premier League Leicester City have agreed to sign French central defender Wesley Fofana from St Etienne, the Ligue 1 club said on Tuesday.

St Etienne's statement did not give a transfer fee but said it was the biggest the club had ever received for a player and that it was compelled to accept the "exceptional" offer due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

British media said the fee for Fofana, 19, was around 32 million pounds ($41.13 million).

Fofana broke into the St Etienne first team from the academy in May 2019 and made 17 Ligue 1 starts for the club, also helping them reach last season's Coupe de France final where they lost 1-0 to Paris St Germain.