Leicester City are preparing a summer move for Benfica fullback André Almeida. According to recent reports in the English media, the Foxes are lining up a move for the Portuguese defender after monitoring his progress recently. Some sources have also claimed that the West Midlands outfit has sent scouts to watch him in action in the January transfer window. A recent report has also suggested that the Premier League club had a scout present at Benfica’s encounter with Boavista at the weekend.
It is believed that the Leicester chief was there to take keep an eye on the performance of Benfica’s right-back Andre Almeida and wide-man Rafa Silva. Both players were previously speculated to make a switch to the King Power Stadium in the January transfer period. Almeida has caught the eyes of a whole host of clubs but the Foxes were reported to have made contact with the Portuguese giants in January.
However, it is being reported that Benfica wanted £15m for Almeida, but the West Midlands club were only prepared to shell out around £5m for the Portuguese defender’s services last month.
The Foxes are currently sitting in 8th place in the Premier League standings with a tally of 35 points in 27 matches. They are too far away from the ‘Big Six’ of the Premier League but a top 7 finish this season is well within their grasps. The West Midlands team has shipped in 40 goals so far in their league campaign but could do with a new arrival in the summer to try and close the gap between themselves and the top six in the coming years.
The addition of someone of the calibre of Almeida will undoubtedly bolster Puel’s defensive options at the West Midlands club ahead of the new campaign. The 27-year-old is highly versatile and can operate in a number of different positions across the backline. He can play in both full-back positions as well as in central defence which makes him an ideal asset for any of his potential suitors. The Portuguese defender has made 31 appearances for Benfica this term, finding the back of the net twice while also providing 6 assists in all competitions. He has a knack for scoring and creating goals which will add another dimension to the Leicester team.
It remains to be seen what lies ahead in Almeida’s future and whether he ends up moving to the King Power Stadium in the near future.
