Rachid Ghezzal has a ‘great desire’ to leave Leicester City and seal a permanent move to Fiorentina this summer, his agent and brother has told Radio Sportivo in quotes translated by Tuttomercatoweb.
On paper at least, you can see why the Foxes thought they had found the new Riyad Mahrez when the former Lyon and Monaco winger arrived in a £12 million deal two years ago.
After all, like the 2016 PFA Player of the Year, Ghezzal is a skilful Algerian forward who loves nothing more than cutting in from the right-hand side and whipping shots into the far corner with his trusty left foot.
While Mahrez established himself as a Leicester legend during that remarkable title-winning campaign, Ghezzal’s Foxes career is best left forgotten.
He managed just eight League starts, and one goal, before being bombed out of the King Power and joining Fiorentina on loan.
With his time in Florence set to come to an end in the next few weeks, Ghezzal’s representatives have seized the chance to make his stance clear.
“(Coach Beppe) Iachini has found his right position, which benefits him and the team,” said Abdelkader Ghezzal after his brother opened his Serie A account in a 3-1 midweek win at Lecce.
“His future? We do not know, now it is important to finish the season well. He has a great desire to stay in Florence.”
Whether Fiorentina are willing to take Ghezzal of Leicester’s hands on a full-time basis remains to be seen.
The jinking wideman hasn’t exactly set Italian football alight but, with both Federico Chiesa and Franck Ribery expected to leave the Stadio Artemio Franchi, there may be a space for him after all.
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