Leyton Orient's Dom Ballard is the obvious choice for Leicester City as they look to earn promotion back to the Championship. The 21-year-old made the switch to the O's from Southampton and contributed 23 goals and four assists for Richie Wellens' side last season. His goals kept Leyton Orient in the division, and it's easy to imagine what kind of impact he could have under a coach like Russell Martin. Bristol City were linked with the forward, but were unable to agree terms with Leyton Orient, who are seeking around the £5 million mark in order to sell. The Robins have instead signed Lorent Tolaj from Plymouth Argyle, and Leicester should now take advantage while the door is still open to Ballard. ## What Dom Ballard can bring to Leicester City Ballard scored 23 goals from an expected goals (xG) of 19.3, which indicates it wasn't just a flashy scoring run that he can't replicate. The forward also took 2.33 shots per 90 for Wellens' side last season despite their difficult form. And while he wasn't contributing much in terms of creating for others, his level of goalscoring meant he more than made up for it. Leicester will need someone that can find the back of the net consistently if they're going to compete for promotion, and Ballard has shown that's exactly what he can do. The youngster also has the potential to scale into becoming a Championship striker as well in the future, which makes him a strong long-term option to have in Martin's squad as well. If Leicester can find the resources to put together a convincing bid for Ballard, then they must strike following Bristol City's failure to secure a deal. The 21-year-old could prove the difference between quickly getting out of League One, and getting mired in the third tier for multiple campaigns, which Leicester simply cannot afford after a disastrous 12 months. ## What comes next? With the new season just around the corner, Leicester City will be looking to make a statement in the transfer market. With Dom Ballard on their radar, they could be one step closer to securing promotion. But with the likes of Lincoln City and other top teams in the division, it won't be an easy ride. Leicester will need to stay focused and keep their eyes on the prize if they want to make it back to the Championship.