After finishing just six points behind a place in Europe in the Premier League table last season, Leicester City are now desperate to add some quality to their side and compete once again for a Top 6 spot.
They have been linked with a number of exciting names for a move this summer and the latest name added to the list is unsettled Southampton star Mario Lemina.
The Gabon international has recently revealed that he is searching for a new club and the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal have already been linked with a move for him. Leicester City are also interested in his services claim the Daily Echo.
None of the teams have met Southampton’s valuation of the player but Lemina is confident that he will not be playing at St Mary’s next season. So should Leicester do what it takes to land him?
Lemina And His Style Of Play
The 25-year-old played for Marseille and Juventus before joining Southampton back in 2017. He failed to make a name for himself in France or in Italy but has done commendably well in his first two years in England.
He has 46 appearances for The Saints and also has 11 international caps for Gabon, making him an experienced player.
A central midfielder by trait, Lemina is effective with the ball at his feet. He can ping crosses or serve through balls in the final third, while his ability to hold on to the ball under pressure has added another dimension to his game.
Lemina loves to dribble past opponents just outside the box and has a mean shot in his right foot. He is equally adept at playing in a holding midfield role, thanks to his understanding of the game and technical awareness.
He makes tackles at crucial times and helps turn defence into attack quickly. He does give away needless fouls at times, but playing around quality stars will surely make Lemina a world-class player in years to come.
Good Fit For Leicester?
The Foxes have one of the strongest squads in England at the moment. The likes of Wilfried Ndidi, Nampalys Mendy and Youri Tielemans have all been impressive in the midfield roles and could keep their places in the first team intact next season.
Vicente Iborra and Hamza Choudhury are other options for these positions while Adrien Silva and Andy King are back from loan spells and will also get their chances.
So it is hard to see Lemina walk into the first team at King Power. However, the Gabon star offers a slightly different dimension to the Leicester midfield than what Brendan Rodgers already has at his disposal.
Rodgers also wanted Lemina in his time at Anfield so if The Foxes can afford his asking price, they should definitely make a move for the Southampton midfielder. But missing out on his signature will not be a huge hit for the side.
Mendy is average at best, and Iborra was sold last summer so plenty of space in the squad, not sure there is in the first 11 though and Lemina doesn’t strike me as a squad player