Previously rejecting the chance to join Newcastle United, Boubakary Soumaré finally decided to try out the Premier League in the summer when Leicester City came knocking.
The young midfielder was a heavily wanted man following his good form at Lille, and it was Brendan Rodgers who eventually won the race for the 22-year-old, who hasn’t wasted any time in establishing himself as a key member of the Premier League side.
Already counting 15 games to his name, he’s also picked up an assist in the 1-1 draw against Leeds United at the weekend, but there is a constant desire to do better, whether it is personally or for the club as a whole, with Leicester currently 11th in the table.
The player was interviewed prior to his trip to Elland Road by Canal+, whose first question was about his decision to swap Lille for Leicester.
The player then went on to reveal he’s closest to Wesley Fofana in the group, having known him for a while before signing thanks to their time with the France youth teams, before being asked about his relationship with Brendan Rodgers.
He continued: “I had him on the phone before I signed. He wanted to do big things with me and the team. He’s very open and is helping my develop quickly because it’s a quick league, very physical. It was a good step for me to come here. It was the end of a cycle for me at Lille. I felt ready to take the step up and come to the Premier League”.
As for the difference between Ligue 1 and the Premier League, Soumaré admitted with a smile that the intensity of England’s top-tier was a ‘slap in the face’.
He’s adapted, though, and the hope is for him and Leicester to do great things together, with their aim to redress the situation starting with a home draw against top of the league Chelsea after the international break.
