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According to Calciomercato (h/t Leicestershire Live), Leicester City are leading the race to sign Florian Thauvin. The player has been told that he can leave the club. His contract runs out in less than six months and no progress has been made over an extension. He could be signed for free in the summer.
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 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.
Premier League fans may not have very fond memories of Thauvin because he struggled quite badly for Newcastle. However, his Marseille form might just suggest otherwise. The winger is a class act on the pitch, with the ever effective ‘cut in from the right and use the left foot’.
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 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.
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 this transfer window. Conversely, Leicester can also opt to strike a pre-contract agreement with the player that would see him arrive for free in 2021.