Why Leicester City should reignite their interest in William Carvalho
Towards the end of June, Spanish outlet Radio Marca Sevilla (h/t Daily Mail) reported that Leicester City had agreed personal terms with Portuguese international midfielder William Carvalho. However, a proposed move for the 28-year-old eventually fell through as the Foxes weren’t willing to match Real Betis’ asking price for the player.
Leicester, though, capped off a successful transfer window with deals for Belgian international Timothy Castagne and highly-rated French defender Wesley Fofana. The Foxes also roped in Turkish international winger Cengiz Under on loan from Roma to bolster their attack. Carvalho, meanwhile, stayed put at Real Betis and has continued to be a key figure for the Spanish outfit.
Profile
A youth exponent of Sporting Lisbon, William Carvalho made his senior debut for his boyhood club way back in the 2010-11 season. He then went through loan spells at Fatima in the Portuguese third-tier and Cercle Brugge in Belgium as a part of his development before establishing himself in a prominent role at Sporting.
Carvalho went on to accumulate 11 goals and 14 assists in 193 appearances for Sporting Lisbon in all competitions over the course of five full seasons in Portugal. The defensive midfield was snapped up by Real Betis in the summer of 2018 and he has since featured 63 times for the Spanish club in all competitions, scoring twice and supplying 5 assists.
A full international for Portugal since 2013, Carvalho has amassed 63 caps for his nation, featuring at 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups as well as in Euro 2016. He has attracted considerable attention over the years following his impressive displays in Portugal’s triumphant Euro 2016 campaign.
Carvalho would be a quality addition to Leicester’s midfield
Leicester City are currently well-stocked in their defensive midfield department, with Wilfried Ndidi, Nampalys Mendy, Hamza Choudhury, and Daniel Amartey all competing for places. Mendy had been out of contract in the summer but pledged his loyalty to the Foxes with a new long-term deal. Amartey has also been eased into the mix by Brendan Rodgers after missing the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign with an injury.
Ndidi, though, has been the undisputed first-choice defensive midfielder at the King Power Stadium over the past three seasons. The Nigerian is currently sidelined with an injury but is expected to regain his status as a regular starter when he returns to full fitness later on in the campaign.
Indeed, Leicester already have plenty of competition for places at the base of their midfield. But with the Foxes now back in Europe and expected to push for greater heights under Rodgers, they should definitely look for some upgrades in the market. And reigniting interest in William Carvalho would definitely make a lot of sense in that regard.
Noted for his towering physicality and ability to shield the backline, Carvalho is predominantly a defensive midfielder by trade but has often showcased the versatility to play in a box-to-box role as well. That, coupled with his vast experience and impressive exploits, both at the club and international level, makes him an instant upgrade on Mendy, Choudhury, and Amartey.
A potential deal for Carvalho would mean quality cover and competition for Ndidi at Leicester. That’s not to say the Foxes should replace the Nigerian, who is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the PL. But it’s certainly important for the Foxes to have more than one top-quality player in each position if they are to go toe-to-toe with the elite clubs in England.
Read More
- Why Leicester City loaning out Filip Benkovic is an ideal move
- Why Harvey Barnes thoroughly deserves a new Leicester contract
Verdict
Suffice to say, Leicester City making a renewed attempt to sign William Carvalho in January would add more quality to their midfield. The Portuguese international has proven his worth as a top-quality defensive midfielder at the highest level and still has several years remaining in his prime. That should make him an excellent addition to the Foxes’ ranks.
