Leicester City Sign Goalkeeper Dai Cornell on One-Year Deal

Leicester City have moved to plug their goalkeeping gap by signing experienced stopper Dai Cornell on a one-year deal.

The 35-year-old Welshman arrives as a free agent after turning down a new contract at Preston North End in the summer, and drops into League One with the Foxes following Jakub Stolarczyk’s season-ending knee injury in early September.

Veteran cover with a big voice

Cornell, who came through at Swansea City, becomes the 11th club of a well-travelled career that has taken in spells with Ipswich Town, Preston, St Mirren, Portsmouth, Oldham, Northampton and Peterborough.

Leicester boss Russell Martin made it clear this move is about far more than simply adding another pair of hands.

“He understands the role he is going to fulfil here, but he also backs himself to show what a good goalkeeper he is,” Martin told BBC Radio Leicester. “But first and foremost, he is a brilliant character and really adds to the character, voice and experience in this squad.”

Cornell echoed that sentiment, saying he is keen to “help in any way” he can as Leicester chase an immediate return to the Championship.

Behind McCarthy, alongside Ravizzoli

Former Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy, a once-capped England international, has been Leicester’s first-choice goalkeeper so far this season.

Franco Ravizzoli, signed from Blackpool in the summer, has been on the bench since Stolarczyk was ruled out, and Cornell’s arrival now deepens a department that was suddenly stretched.

Leicester have their promotion push to manage. Cornell, with a year to prove his worth and a career’s experience behind him, now has his own point to make.