When Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce confirmed his interest in signing Hamza Chouhury before the January transfer deadline, we didn’t expect to see the England U21 international starting at the heart of Leicester City’s midfield just 48 hours after the window closed.
But, with Wilfred Ndidi injured again and Nampalys Mendy dropped to the bench, the 23-year-old was handed a chance to prove his worth.
And prove it he most certainly did.
Alongside Kelechi Iheanacho and Ayoze Perez, Choudhury seized a rare opportunity with both hands as Leicester kept pace in the Premier League title race with a comfortable 2-0 win away at Fulham.
The old-school ankle-biter was energetic and aggressive in the ‘number six’ role, breaking up the play and helping to restrict Scott Parker’s hosts to just one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes.
In truth, it was a performance that showed why Bruce was so keen to bring Choudhury to Newcastle.
Despite the best efforts of Isaac Hayden, the Magpies midfield has the consistency of warm mozzarella; soft, delicate and easily stretched.
Choudhury would have protected a sluggish backline with a coat of steel. Instead, he is now looking to emerge as a key cog in Leicester’s title charge.
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