Report: Leicester want two £30m Championship stars, including potential new Mahrez
Leicester City are interested in signing two Championship stars this summer, according to Bleacher Report – Leeds United talisman Kalvin Phillips and Brentford hero Said Benrahma.
Considering that James Maddison has been transformed from second-tier star to one of the Premier League’s most influential midfielders in the space of two years, who can blame The Foxes for trying to replicate a deal that saw the free-kick specialist swap Norwich City for the King Power in 2018?
Like Maddison, Phillips and Benrahma have looked a cut above at Football League level for some time now.
BR claims that Phillips, the so-called ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ who makes things tick for Marcelo Bielsa’s all-conquering Leeds side, as admirers at Leicester and no wonder.
With his sublime passing range and snarling ball-winning skills, this most talented of ‘number six’s’ looks like the perfect understudy – or long term replacement – for Wilfred Ndidi.
Benrahma, meanwhile, has been likened by many to title-winning Leicester legend Riyad Mahrez – and for good reason. Like the 2016 PFA Player of the Year, Algeria international Benrahma was a little-known youngster when he arrived on English shores from the French second division.
But with his wand of a right foot and penchant for whipping inch-perfect shots into the far corner, the Griffin Park great plays like Mahrez at his blue-clad best. Former Brentford ace Sam Saunders even compared the winger to another left-footed forward – a certain Lionel Messi (Sky).
TEAMtalk have suggested that Benrahma, who has ten goals and eight assists this season, would cost around £30 million. It would take a similar fee to tempt Leeds into selling homegrown hero Phillips (The Sun).
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