According to reports, Leicester City are apparently keen on the development of Andre Almeida. The Foxes have already sent many scouts to watch over the SL Benfica defender throughout the course of this season and some reports say, that the Foxes could enter the bidding for the Portuguese right-back in the upcoming transfer window.
Andre Almeida, who is also a target for the likes of Southampton and Crystal Palace, has been a reliable option in defence for Benfica in the past three-four years.
In a Benfica team, full of star-studded players as well as highly talented youngsters, looking to make their mark on the beautiful game, Andre Almeida has been among one of the most reliable and important players for the Eagles, along with the likes of Luisao and Co.
Since moving to Benfica in 2011, the Portuguese International has become a defensive mainstay for the club, especially in the past few years, where he notched up more than 60 appearances in the league. He won his first cap for his national team in 2013, where he featured in a World Cup qualifying match against Europe. He was also a part of Portugal’s world cup team, back in 2014, where he didn’t make much of an impact.
However, since then, the 27-year-old has drastically improved, in terms of his overall gameplay. A calm and composed character in the defensive department, Andre Almeida is someone who can be very operative in the right-back position. Tactically astute, the Portuguese is one of the few right-backs, who rely on his tactical sense and cleverness in order to overcome his opposition, rather than just relying on sheer pace.
Almeida is quite good on the defensive front, where he is often quite accurate with his tackles and is also very good in marking the opponent. His defensive discipline helps him to stay focused for the entire ninety minutes while his brilliant passing qualities lend Benfica an edge, in the build-up phases.
Most importantly, however, Andre Almeida is a hard-worker, who can take up responsibilities as a right back, therefore, making him an ideal fit for Leicester City.
The Foxes have lacked a quality right-back for a long term and it might be the perfect time for them to get an upgrade over Danny Simpson. Almeida is said to have a release clause of €30m, which is a snip in the market, for most of the Premier League outfits, these days.