According to reports from Fox Sports Italy as cited by Leicestershire Live, Brendan Rodgers is eying a move for 20-year-old Riccardo Sottil. It is believed that Leicester had scouts at Italy under-21s and they were monitoring the Fiorentina player.
Sottil came up from Otrino’s youth academy before he moved to Fiorentina in 2016. He soon rose up to the ranks to play senior football for them. Sottil had spent the second half of last season on loan with Serie B side Pescara. The winger opened the scoring for Italy’s u-21 side against Iceland when Leicester scouts were present in attendance.
The 20-year-old has so far made eight appearances in all competitions this season. The youngster is yet to cement his place in the first eleven but has made some eye-catching contributions in the attacking third. The winger is, however, yet to score or assist this season.
Sottil is likely as one for the future as he is yet to develop completely and he is still trying to find his footing in the Serie A. Around a few months back, Tottenham Hotspur were also linked with the winger.
What can the winger offer?
The Italian is a right-footed left-winger, and his searing pace is his most standout asset. He can be dangerous in the attacking third when he gets into a foot race with the opposition or when the defender is exposed in a one on one situation. He is always willing to take his man on, and Fiorentina have so far used him as an impact substitute.
However, there are still weaknesses to his game as he needs to improve in the final third. His decision making can sometimes let him down, and he will need some experience under his belt to improve on that aspect. Nevertheless, Sottil is an eye-catching talent, and once he gets a few more things right, he can be one to watch out for.
Should Leicester make a move for him?
We don’t see Sottil getting close to first-team football at the King Power Stadium at the moment. We believe that Leicester should wait and watch him further before making a move for him. He needs to be playing regularly at this stage of his career so that he can bring out his full potential and the Foxes are loaded with quite a few young and upcoming players. Therefore we don’t see Rodgers making a move for him right now as he has some decent options for the wide positions.
