Leicester City have made contact with Roberto Gagliardini’s agent as they join Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in pursuit of the Inter Milan and Serie A-winning midfielder, according to FC Inter News.
The £20 million Italy international admitted recently that he was frustrated with his backseat role at the San Siro. Since then, things have only got worse. Gagliardini has played just seven minutes of football in Inter’s last four Serie A matches.
He didn’t even get off the bench during the 1-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg victory over FC Porto.
So, if Gagliardini had doubts about whether or not to sign a new contract with the Nerazzuri, his continued lack of game-time since the January window closed might have served only to make up his mind.
Leicester in talks to beat Nottingham Forest to £20m Tielemans replacement
Leicester, FC Inter News say, are ‘testing the ground’ with agent Beppe Riso. As are a Galatasaray side who snapped up another out-of-favour Italian from a Serie A giant recently; Nicolo Zaniolo arriving after a typically public falling out with Jose Mourinho at Roma.
Nottingham Forest, Leicester’s big-spending Midland neighbours, are also admirers of a man who made his name under Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta before joining Inter Milan for £20 million all the way back in 2017.
Forest signed both Jonjo Shelvey and Danilo last month. Steve Cooper’s ‘more the merrier’ approach to squad-building means few would be surprised to see Gagliardini in Garibaldi red too.
“I am no longer prepared to play so little,” the Bergamo-born 28-year-old tells Sky Italia. “Because I still feel that I am in good shape and have a lot more to give. I want to play and to make my qualities known.
“We’ll see what happens in June (when my deal runs out). I will make my decisions.”
Leicester, meanwhile, may see Gagliardini as a potential Youri Tielemans replacement. The Belgian playmaker is out of contract in the summer, with an extension seeming highly unlikely. Leicester also like Borussia Dortmund schemer Mo Dahoud.
Dahoud, too, will be a free-agent in July.
“I would not and could not say anything negative about Mo Dahoud,” says BVB coach Edin Terzic; full of praise for his seldom-seen Germany international. “Mo is a fantastic person. An outstanding footballer with really great skills.”
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