Leicester City have lined up a £22m bid for FC Porto fullback, Ricardo Pereira whose release clause is reported to be £38m. The Foxes manager Claude Puel has demanded more financial backing from the club’s Thai manager and wants to reunite with the Portuguese right-back, who he previously worked with during his management days at OGC Nice.
Pereira developed his game while out on loan with the Ligue 1 outfit and worked closely with Puel. He registered 57 games under his belt for Nice and scored on 2 occasions along with a further assist tally of 8. This season alone he has set up his teammates on 7 occasions and has netted in twice in the Premier League.
Pereira started his playing career with Vitória S.C. and spent his early years with hometown club, C.F. Benfica. He appeared in 38 games for the Guimarães-based outfit and made his senior team debut on 1 April 2012 in the 3-1 win against FC Pacos de Ferreira.
Porto approached the teenager along with his teammate, Tiago Rodrigues ahead of the 2012/13 season and signed him to a long-term deal.
His early years at Portugal was not the most decorated as he had to undergo the challenges of constantly being shifted around the club’s first and second teams. 18 appearances were made for the B side and the Lisbon-born player was sent out on loan to France. Pereira is also a Portuguese international and has been capped 3 times for the senior team, 38 times for the U19, U20, U21, U22 and U23 sides.
Since Barcelona’s Nelson Semedo is struggling to beat Sergi Roberto to the starting XI spot under Ernesto Valverde, Pereira is expected to travel to Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and feature for Portugal.
The fullback is versatile on the right side and is vehemently more attacking minded than most fullbacks. His astute technical skills allow to break open defences from the wing and his deliveries are equally threatening as well.
Leicester City need a player like Pereira to provide some competition to the 31-year-old Danny Simpson. Daniel Amartey has filled in when the later got injured this season. However, Amartey is better suited to the central midfield role and has been exposed on the right when fielded.
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City’s season has tumbled down to the 9th spot after their woeful run of just 1 point in the last 3 games. Returning back to title-winning pedigree might be unrealistic at the moment, but the club can definitely challenge for a European spot.