Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has challenged Ademola Lookman to reach double figures for goals before the end of the 2021-2022 campaign to brighten his chances of sealing a permanent transfer to the King Power Stadium.

The Super Eagles hopeful returned to the Premier League for a second loan spell last summer due to a lack of first team opportunities at parent club RB Leipzig.

Lookman has directly participated in ten goals (6 goals, 4 assists) since switching to the Foxes on loan, two less than his career best of 12 (8 goals, 4 assists) in a single season he set in 2017-2018.

The 2017 U20 World Cup winner with England has already surpassed his goal involvement of eight for Fulham in 2020-2021, something that pleases Rodgers.

In quotes relayed by Leicestershirelive, Rodgers said : "He’s come in and done very, very well. It’s something between the club, his representatives and his club that he is signed for. It’s something we have to look at.

"But he’s made the impact that I wanted in terms of his games and his goalscoring. He scored more goals and more assists in this period than in all of last season.

"I said to get to that next level it’s all about efficiency. He’s clearly got the ability, but you have to produce the numbers when you’re an attacking player, and he’s definitely done that.

"Let’s see if he can finish in double figures by the end of the season, and then he will have had a really productive season. Then we can sit down and look at it then.

"He’s a good guy, I’ve really enjoyed working with him, and I think there’s still a lot more to come from him."

Five Leicester City attack-minded players James Maddison (19), Jamie Vardy, Patson Daka, Harvey Barnes (14) and Kelechi Iheanacho (12) have been involved in more goals than Lookman so far this season.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel