In need of a midfield reinforcement this summer, Leicester City dilly dallied, but eventually decided Sampdoria’s Dennis Praet was the right man for them.
The 25-year-old didn’t hesitate to move to the Premier League, especially when it also meant being reunited with one of his former Anderlecht teammates, Youri Tielemans.
Taking some time before throwing him at the deep end, Brendan Rodgers seems to have smoothed over what could have been a difficult transition for the Belgian, who spoke at a press conference with his national team on Tuesday.
He said, relayed by HLN: “The adjustment went smoothly, even though there is a big difference between Italy and England, where there is more intensity during training and competitions. In Italy, it’s more tactical and also a bit more boring.
“I have my found my way in this new way of playing and so I can’t help but be satisfied with my transfer to the Premier League, which is surely the best competition in the world.”
Speaking of the move, which saw the Leicester send £19m to Sampdoria in exchange for the Belgium international, Praet seems delighted with it, and reckons he made the right choice.
He continued: “This transfer was a personal choice and a good step forward. Leicester made an impression on me in the matches I had seen. They played the football I also like to play. They’re ambitious too, because we want to challenge for those European spots.
“This is also a new challenge, because it’s not easy to make your way into the team. However, I like to take on such challenges.”
Since joining, the player has only started three games under Brendan Rodgers, but the fact he has been in the first XI for the last two Premier League fixtures, including the 2-1 loss against league leaders Liverpool, suggests he isn’t far off being one of the first names on the team sheet going forward.
