With the wounds of N’Golo Kante’s departure still raw, reigning Premier League champions Leicester could suffer a further blow in the coming days.
A harsh turn of events sees two of the Foxes key players making moves to ‘bigger’ clubs. Kante, fresh off his first major international tournament with France, signed for Chelsea over the weekend for a sum of £30 million pounds. Riyad Mahrez is set to follow through the exit door after rejecting a new contract, with the star Algerian also said to be heading to Stamford Bridge or even to the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona. With two of their most vital midfield components out the door, but leaving a large sum of money to splash, Claudio Ranieri is in a position of peril as the 2016-17 season draws near.
With Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater arguably the only players of major significance remaining in the title winning side, a gaping hole will be left for Ranieri to fill. Many would argue in saying that replacing Mahrez will be a tougher job for the Italian – but surprisingly enough, it is actually Kante who provided more. The Frenchman’s importance went heavily under the radar until around the mid-point of the season, with his incredible physical statistics – which saw a mix of speed, stamina and strength – worked perfectly in the ‘box-to-box’ role. During 2015-16, he won 175 tackles, 31 more than anyone else in the league, also recording a total of 156 interceptions. Topping both charts is an absolutely astonishing feat and trying to find someone else with such a work-rate will be almost impossible. Adding to this his discipline was top-class, illustrated as he received only three yellow cards to his name all season. Kante’s attacking niche is also easy to overlook, as his superb vision to pick out a pass and his ability to get in positions that support his teammates was key behind Mahrez and Vardy’s scoring accomplishments. His ability to set the tone of a game will be extremely tough for anyone to replace. In turn, it will be a major bonus for Chelsea next season under Antonio Conte, who loves his hard workers.
In saying that, one also cannot discount what looks to be the unavoidable loss of Mahrez. The Algerian’s breakout season was coupled by 17 goals from the right side of midfield and 11 assists – most of those leading to goals from their focal point up front in Vardy. With the striker usually being on the end of a top-notch delivery, a decrease in attacking productivity for the Foxes overall is likely. Losing a player like Mahrez also will see a loss of sublime creativity around the 18-yard box, which bamboozled nearly all Premier League defences last season. Looking at his potential transfer, it is hard to see where Mahrez would fit in among the already crowded attacking stocks at Chelsea, which includes Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Cesc Fabregas and Pedro. Even a move to Barcelona would not make much sense, but with the chance to take his game to another level, it is one he could not look past. With Leicester set to gain a major sum in transfer fees, Ranieri will have to look towards the market for a ready-made replacement.
So, who to sign? The arrival of Ahmed Musa is a superb coup by Ranieri, who would have relished in the luxury of having the Nigerian and Mahrez on either flank. With that combination now out the window, the Foxes have to find another winger. If they are to be taken seriously, a player like Marc Albrighton cannot be starting and the club has not been linked to anyone of high-profile in the past few days. Replacing Kante will be interesting – with Demarai Gray, Andy King, Matty James and Gokhan Inler all waiting on the team sheet. Inler was once a premiere midfielder in the Serie A for Napoli and Udinese, but is yet to show his true capabilities in England. Surprisingly enough, Irish hero Robbie Brady has been lined up as a potential replacement (via the Nottingham Post).
Time will tell, but the impact of these key departures will be heavily felt throughout the city of Leicester came match-day one if they do not act soon.
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