Florian Thauvin celebrates after scoring a goal (Getty Images)
According to claims from Italian outlet Pieneta Milan (h/t Birmingham Live), Marseille have set an astonishing £28million price tag for reported Leicester City target Florian Thauvin in January.
The Frenchman had been linked with a return to the Premier League during the summer window, with the Foxes and Aston Villa mentioned as potential suitors for the 27-year-old. AC Milan are also understood to be keeping close tabs on Thauvin.
Thauvin ended up staying put at Marseille before the deadline but with his contract set to expire in 2021 and the player refusing to sign an extension, the Ligue 1 club are keen to cash in on the World Cup winner during the mid-season trading period.
Leicester have reaped the benefits of snapping up Cengiz Under on a season-long loan deal from Roma in the summer. The Turkish international has already turned in some quality displays, adding some much-needed cutting-edge to the Foxes’ attack. Leicester do have the option of signing him permanently but his long-term future at the King Power Stadium still remains unclear.
Regardless of what the future holds for Under, Leicester going back in the market for Florian Thauvin in January would still make a lot of sense. With Demarai Gray out of contract next summer and Marcus Albrighton not getting any younger at 31, the Foxes need to line up some alternatives in the wide attacking areas.
Thauvin is at his best when deployed as an inverted winger down the right but is also capable of playing on the other flank and through the middle in a No.10 role. Hence, a potential deal for the Frenchman would also reduce the creative workload on James Maddison, besides providing Brendan Rodgers with a natural wide option.
A versatile creative midfielder like Florian Thauvin would offer Leicester some valuable cover and quality in multiple areas across the final third. It wouldn’t be fair to judge his credentials based on his lacklustre stint at Newcastle a few years back as he has proven his quality not only in Ligue 1 but also against tougher opposition in the Europa League.
Thauvin still has several years remaining in his prime at 27 and with his contract at Marseille set to expire next summer, Leicester should definitely have another crack at signing him in January. Marseille’s £28million price tag hardly makes any sense for a player who is set to enter the last six months of his contract at the club.
Having said that, the Foxes should try to take advantage of his unresolved contract situation and negotiate a cut-price deal for the Frenchman during the mid-season trading period. Conversely, Leicester can also opt to strike a pre-contract agreement with the player that would see him arrive at the King Power Stadium for free ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.