Why Vedat Muriqi would be a smart signing by Leicester city
According to Turkish-Football.com (h/t Leicestershire Live), Fenerbahce striker Vedat Muriqi had been linked with a move to Leicester City earlier in the season. And now he has been watched by the club in the game against Trabzonspor.
The report also suggests that Premier League rivals Tottenham and Aston villa also sent their representatives to watch the forward and Ligue 1 side Monaco are also interested in him.
Muriqi, 25, has been in fine form this season and has already grabbed the attention of several clubs across Europe. Coming through the youth ranks of KF Liria, he signed for Fenerbahce from Caykur Rizespor last summer.
Last season, Muriqi scored 17 goals and 8 assists in 34 Super Lig games that earned him a move to the 19-time Turkish champions. He finished the previous campaign as the second-highest goalscorer in the league and established himself as one of the best forwards in Turkey.
And as a result of his goalscoring prowess, he was watched by various teams, including Manchester United, as per the report.
Meanwhile, the Foxes have been brilliant under Brendan Rodgers this season, except for the last few games in which they have not been at their best.
Leicester are riding high on the success of their striking talisman Jamie Vardy, who is the top scorer in the league with 17 goals. He has performed at the highest level without a dip in form and Kelechi Iheanacho has played the supporting role in the best way.
They are the only two options available to lead the attack, with Islam Slimani on loan at Monaco. However, there is a need to strengthen their attack and the manager has to make a choice immediately.
Vardy is already 33 and he will need to be replaced at the right time. And nothing can be said of Slimani’s availability next season as he has been sent on loan because the manager doesn’t seem to have him in his plans. And therefore, Rodgers has to bring in reinforcement in the form of Vedat Muriqi.
The 25-year-old has grown from strength to strength each year and has already found the back of the net 13 times in 21 games across all competitions this season. He would be the perfect successor to Vardy once the Englishman stops from playing regularly.
According to Whoscored, the Kosovan has registered 3.8 shots, 1.7 key passes and 1 dribble per game in the Turkish league in this campaign. And he can become a better player in England, given he is able to replicate his form at Leicester.
Signing a forward in the summer would allow for healthy competition within the squad and this would be a sign of improvement for the club.
Verdict
Though he may initially find it difficult in England, his proven track record should prompt the East Midlands club to make an attempt for him. In a few years’ time, Leicester will need a striker to cover for their star player, who is ageing.
Therefore, they must gather the resources and manage to lure the Kosovo international to the King Power Stadium in the summer.
