Once in a lifetime, you get to see a fairy tale in real life and we are quite lucky to have witnessed one. What else would you call what Leicester City achieved last season? Football has never seen a team that was touted to struggle in the relegation zone by the bookmakers go all the way to clinch the biggest silverware in English football. It’s still hard to believe Leicester actually did it against all the odds.
Miracles do not happen every season but Ranieri and his boys will give their hearts out to pick up from where they left off last campaign. With Champions League commitments, the title defence will be even trickier but you never know what football unfolds. That’s the beauty of the game. In this article, we will look at three players who would be key for the Foxes this campaign.
Nampalys Mendy
The 23-year-old Frenchman made his move to the Foxes this summer from Ligue 1 side Nice. If Leicester City was the team to rise against all hurdles last season in the Premier League, Nice were not much behind. They upset plenty of big French sides last season in the process of finishing fourth on the table. Mendy was not only one of the key players in making that impossible thing happen but he also led the side with the armband even though he was younger than most of his teammates. Mendy is likely to fill in the void left by Kante who made his move out of the King Power for Chelsea. With a likewise physique and similar style of play, he is well capable of replacing his compatriot in the middle of the park.
Ahmed Musa
Even though Leicester City did not have much trouble when it came to scoring goals considering the seasons Vardy and Mahrez had. Leicester City would have done even better if they better strikers hen Okazaki or Ulloa partnering Vardy up front. The Japanese and the Argentine scored a total of 12 goals combined last season and it was a brilliant move from Ranieri to bolster the club’s attacking ranks with Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow. Just aged 23, Musa already boasts 58 national caps for Nigeria and that speaks volumes about the fleet-footed striker’s ability. We have to wait and see how Musa makes his impact in the Premier League but expectations will be big from the high-profile Leicester City signing.
Jamie Vardy
The Superman of Leicester City will be loved even more by the fans next season following the 29-year-old rejecting a move to Premier League big boys Arsenal and staying put to the Premier League holders. With Kante having already left and Mahrez’s future hanging in the balance, Vardy’s job will be even more intense next season. The English international was just one goal shy of his compatriot Harry Kane last season for the race of the Premier League Golden Boot and he has what it takes to clinch the prestigious individual award next season.
This article is written by Craig Kester.
