It was a good weekend for Tete’s.
Less than 24 hours after Fulham’s rock-solid right-back kept Mykhaylo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke quiet during a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, Kenny’s Brazilian namesake left his mark at the other end of pitch during a thrilling Midlands derby between Leicester City and Aston Villa.
It took The Foxes’ very own Tete, a January signing from Shakhtar Donetsk, just 46 minutes to open his account in the Premier League; latching onto a Kelechi Iheanacho through ball, rounding World Cup winner Emi Martinez and slotting home.
“(Tete was) absolutely brilliant,” beams Leicester team-mate James Maddison, the winger’s arrival freeing up the England international to return to his favoured central role (LCFC TV).
“I’m at my best when I’m in the middle I think. So to have Tete come in and be that threat, and he was absolutely brilliant today. It’s nice to be back central.”
Tete shines on Leicester City debut
Try as they might, Leicester have never really filled a Riyad Mahrez-shaped void on the right-hand side in the five years since the Algerian’s £60 million move to Manchester City. The exhilarating early signs, however, suggest that Tete could thrive where Cengiz Under and Rachid Ghezzal failed; cutting in onto his left foot in a manner eerily reminiscent of the 2016 PFA Player of the Year.
“Tete could be something like Riyad Mahrez,” one-time Leicester defender and former Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough tells the BBC.
They say money cannot buy you happiness. Tell that to the Foxes supporters celebrating that perfectly-timed, confidence-boosting 4-2 win at Villa Park. Fellow January signings Victor Kristiansen and Harry Souttar (own goal aside) impressed in a new-look backline. But Tete was undoubtedly the star of the show.
Suggestions that Leicester fought off competition for a number of potential relegation rivals for the one-time Lyon loanee, meanwhile, only serves to make Tete’s snake-hipped debut all the sweeter. Southampton are long-time admirers; missing out around 12 months ago. West Ham too.
Leeds United, L’Equipe add, showed ‘strong interest’ before the 22-year-old put pen to paper at Leicester; joining on loan with a £17 million purchase clause in his contract (The Mercury).
Who knows, if Leeds could have called upon Tete’s dextrous dribbling and eye for goal during Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, maybe Jesse Marsch would still be in a job in West Yorkshire.
As it is Leeds’ loss already feels like Leicester’s gain.
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