In a recent report, Football.London mentioned that Leicester City have identified Manchester United playmaker Jesse Lingard as a replacement for James Maddison in this off-season. It is understood that the Foxes could move in for the English talent if Maddison leaves the King Power Stadium to join Arsenal this summer (via Football.London).
Lingard’s Impressive Loan Spell At East London Recently
Lingard had an outstanding loan spell at West Ham United last season as he put in a run of memorable displays as an important member of David Moyes’ first XI. The 28-year-old netted nine goals and provided five assists in 16 matches for the Hammers in the previous campaign across multiple competitions.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion player was a consistent performer at the London Stadium after he averaged 2.6 shots, 1.1 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He even distributed the ball accurately in the final third as he made 83.6% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
Lingard needs to secure regular game time in the upcoming campaign if he wants to continue to perform at a high level. Hence, sealing a move to Leicester City could be a tempting opportunity for the player as he will be guaranteed regular playing minutes under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers.
Should The Foxes Snap Lingard Up This Summer?
Lingard has decent pace in his locker and can pull off some eye-catching sprints in and around the opponent’s penalty box. He is an exciting dribbler with the ball at his feet and can orchestrate a few decent chances for his teammates in the attacking end of the field. Lingard loves to operate as an attacking midfielder but can also play as a left-sided wide player or function as a centre-forward if required.
The English playmaker can score and create goals regularly when he is firing on all cylinders up top. Thus, the Foxes would do well to get him on board before the transfer deadline at the end of this month. Lingard will add a lot of goals and creativity to Rodgers’ attack and could prove to be an ideal replacement for James Maddison if Leicester end up losing his services this summer.
At 28, the Warrington-born sensation is currently playing at the peak of his career, so Rodgers can expect him to make an immediate impact for the East Midlands giants next season. With all things considered, the Foxes should think about trying everything they can to snap Lingard up, especially if they part ways with Maddison this month.
