Earlier this week, Vicente Iborra completed his move to LaLiga side Villarreal from Leicester City for an undisclosed fee.
A lot of expectations were nested on Iborra’s shoulders following his move to the King Power Stadium in the summer transfer window of 2017. However, he failed to make a substantial impact in the English top flight.
The situation worsened for the Spaniard this season as he managed just three Premier League starts and it wasn’t surprising to see him leave.
Nonetheless, here are three players Claude Puel should target in order to fill the void left behind by Iborra.
#1 Mohamed Elneny
Arsenal’s midfielder Mohamed Elneny could be an astute replacement for Iborra. The 26-year-old has fallen behind in the pecking order at the north London side, and has managed to secure just one Premier League start under his belt so far this campaign.
Elneny doesn’t look like a part of Unai Emery’s plans but undoubtedly, he is a calm and composed midfielder and could bring a lot of authority to Puel’s midfield.
The Egyptian possesses commendable qualities on and off the ball and has the ability to burst forward when needed as well, and that’s something that would help Leicester in the transition.
#2 Tanguy Ndombele
A tailor-made replacement for Iborra, Tanguy Ndombele has made a considerable impact in Ligue 1 and would be a smashing signing for Leicester City.
The Lyon midfielder is a crafty player who has the willingness to gallop forward and is also a smart passer of the ball.
In 16 French top-flight appearances this season, the 22-year-old has notched up 4 assists and has been an instrumental figure for his current club.
Ndombele’s ruthless aggression, strong physicality and dominance in the air should enable him to adjust to the animosity of the Premier League.
#3 Kerem Demirbay
Hoffenheim’s central midfielder Kerem Demirbay has had a pretty productive season, having scored two goals and has also notched up two assists in 11 appearances.
Demirbay is one of the key players under the tutelage of Julian Nagelsmann and so, it won’t be easy signing him.
The 25-year-old is a technically gifted player who not only has a fine balance between his defensive duties and offensive forays, but also has the capability of dictating the tempo of the game.
Although he has no previous experience of English football, he has the necessary ingredients to leave a mark in the Premier League.
