Why Leicester City should revive their interest in Luis Henrique
Back in May, Brazilian paper Lance (h/t Leicestershire Live), claimed that Leicester City kept tabs on Botafogo starlet Luis Henrique in a bid to bolster their attack.
The report suggests that Leicester sent scouts to watch the teenager and were impressed by his display. However, since then, no such talks of a move have progressed. The report claims that £26m would be enough to land the talented forward as it is his release clause.
However, the Foxes could face competition to secure Henrique’s services as Everton are also interested in signing him, as reported by Sport Witness (h/t Liverpool Echo) earlier this month.
Profile
Born in Brazil, Henrique started his journey with Tres Passos Atletico Clube before joining Botafago’s youth system. Though he made his debut in 2019, the Brazilian enjoyed a breakthrough in the 2020 season and has attracted a lot of interest.
He featured in 10 games before the Serie A was suspended in the country due to the pandemic. He scored 1 goal and provided three assists. Since the restart, he has started in all 4 of the club’s fixtures and has established himself in the starting XI.
Henrique could be a good future investment for Leicester City
Brendan Rodgers men were brilliant for the majority of the 2019/20 campaign but were unlucky to miss out on the Champions League spot after a loss on the final league game. However, the manager needs to bring in reinforcements, and investing in the youth could pay off well in the future.
In that regard, making a move for Botafago’s Henrique would be a wise decision. The youngster has been brilliant so far and has taken the Brazilian league by storm despite his tender age.
At the moment, Demarai Gray and Fousseni Diabate are the only two wingers available for Leicester. Gray has been overlooked for the majority of the campaign and Diabate hasn’t been successful in his loan spell. Ayoze Perez was mostly deployed on the flanks but he seems to be comfortable through the middle. In that case, adding Henrique would bolster their options on the wings.
The 18-year-old is also adept at operating as a striker and with Jamie Vardy already 33; Henrique could come in handy in the future. Kelechi Iheanacho is the other centre-forward but he hasn’t received enough game time. Thus, signing the Brazilian would help them improve the depth in the attacking unit. If he is able to replicate the good form, he could go on to represent them in the long run.
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Verdict
At 18, he still has a lot of room for development. Under the guidance of Rodgers, the youngster could develop himself into a Premier League material. He has shown his potential at a young age and could be a future star if things go well. Thus, the Foxes should reignite their interest in Henrique this summer.
