High-flying Leicester City want to bolster their ranks and have reportedly scouted young Italian winger Riccardo Sottil. 20-year-old Sottil is an exciting talent who has been handed a prominent role with Fiorentina this season and has impressed in the few appearances he has made.
As per Tutto Sport, the Foxes are interested in the Italian, who has made 8 appearances in all competitions this season. Sottil has just under two years remaining on his Fiorentina contract, which expires in 2021. The winger joined the club from Torino in 2016 and spent last season on loan at Pescara in Serie B.
This season, he has started 3 of the 7 Serie A games that he has been involved in. Sottil made his Italy U21 debut earlier this year and has already scored twice in the five appearances he has made so far.
What will Riccardo Sottil add to the team?
Sottil is a quick winger, who likes to take on the opposition defence and play direct, attacking football. The youngster is a right-footed player, who can play on the left or the right. While playing on the left – which is his primary position – he likes to cut in and dribble past defenders, while hugging the touchline and using his pace to blast past defenders on the right.
The Italian is strong with the ball at his feet and likes to draw fouls from defenders. In the 7 appearances he has made in Serie A this season, he has been fouled, on average, 2.6 times per game. Sottil has not created any goals or scored a goal this season for Fiorentina, but his potential is there to see.
He’s a player that would suit Leicester City’s high-intensity style of play that manager Brendan Rodgers has used this season. Sottil can play on either wing, which would prove to be useful for Rodgers as it adds more options for him to choose from. Currently, Leicester have quite a few wingers, with Ayoze Perez and Harvey Barnes playing on the left and right, respectively, while the likes of Demarai Gray and Marc Albrighton are other options out wide.
While Leicester’s starting XI is firing on all cylinders right now, Rodgers will know he will have to strengthen the bench if the Foxes are to keep rubbing shoulders with the big boys beyond this season.
Signing Riccardo Sottil would be a sensible decision as he may not cost much, considering he has under two years remaining on his contract.
