Why Leicester City should go ahead with their pursuit of Moussa Dembele
According to France Football (h/t Leicestershire Live), Leicester City are keeping close tabs on Lyon striker Moussa Dembele.
The 23-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring an impressive 22 goals and 7 assists from 42 matches for Lyon.
However, this is not the first time Dembele has turned heads with his goal-scoring exploits. The young finisher has been an instant hit in France since joining Lyon from Celtic two years back.
He scored an eye-catching 20 goals in his maiden season for the Ligue 1 side, giving a clear idea of his talent. To date, he has made 88 appearances for Lyon across all competitions and has racked up 42 goals and 13 assists to his name.
With his on-field displays improving with time, Premier League side Leicester City have now shown an interest in him. However, he would not be an easy catch for the Foxes, as he still has three years left in his contract at Lyon.
Back in January, Lyon had slapped an asking price of £83million on Dembele but it is now expected to drop in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Dembele – A future replacement for Leicester legend Vardy
Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes have enjoyed a successful campaign in the league so far and are currently 3rd in the table behind Liverpool and Manchester City. One of the main reasons for Leicester’s top show this season has been the excellent form of star striker Jamie Vardy, who is currently the top-scorer in the league with 19 goals to his credit.
Having scored a massive 126 goals from 300 matches for Leicester, there is no denying that Vardy still remains one of the top strikers in England. However, he turned 33 last January and is nearing the end of his career.
Apart from Vardy, the Foxes only have Kelechi Iheanacho as a back-up. The 23-year-old Nigerian has been pretty decent this season, scoring 8 goals from 18 matches but that has not been the case always.
He managed just two goals despite featuring 35 times for Leicester last season, and this would be a major concern for the Foxes if they wish to stay on top in the future. That said, Leicester should go ahead with their interest in Dembele and being him to the King Power stadium as soon as possible.
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Verdict
Leicester have only one reliable striker in Vardy and not many back-up options. Dembele’s arrival will only make them stronger, with the Frenchman proving himself already at Lyon and Celtic. Also, it will not take him much time to adjust to the new surroundings in Leicester, having played under Rodgers during his time at Celtic.
