A lot has happened at Leicester City over the past year. What, with the club winning the Premier League title and all.
Around a year ago, Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester were flying, but few thought they’d be able to keep it up for the season and clinch the title. One of those who doubted was probably M’Baye Niang.
Leicester City were prepared to spend €20m on Niang during the last January transfer window. Ranieri telephoned Niang and tried to convince the player, but he instead stayed at AC Milan.
In September of this year, Niang explained: “I hope one day I move to the Premier League, and to play there is a dream of mine, the right football for my style of play.
“In January, two to three days before the derby. I called my agent and he told me ‘Leicester made an offer to AC Milan’.
“I stayed, and without regrets. Even after the title win of Leicester, the risk was to play as a back-up to Vardy. There was a lot of money offered, they were ready to pay €20m and then maybe don’t play me.”
Now AC Milan are looking to invest some money (yes, we’ve all heard that one before) and people coming in means people going out.
La Repubblica newspaper on Monday have a vision of a future Milan line-up, including potential signings: Donnarumma; Conti, Caldara, Romagnoli, De Sciglio; Gagliardini, Locatelli, Bonaventura; Suso; Belotti, Lapadula.
There’s two things to note – It’s very Italian, only Spaniard Suso isn’t from Italy. Secondly, there’s no Niang.
Niang is a possible sale say Calciomercato, although Milan would like to ship out Carlos Bacca and Keisuke Honda first. The 21 year old Frenchman is said to have ‘many admirers’ in the Premier League, and we all know that includes Leicester’s Ranieri.
After signing Ahmed Musa and Islam Slimani, Niang’s track may be over, or not. He can play on the left or right wing, or through the middle. There’s a lot of flexibility in position.
One to keep half an eye on.
