REPORTS: Leicester City win race for 20-year-old Barrow AFC target

CHAMPIONSHIP side Leicester City have reportedly won the race for 20-year-old Barrow target Arjan Raikhy.

The young midfielder is currently without a club after being released by Premier League side Aston Villa following the expiry of his contract this summer.

Reports from Sky Sports now suggest that the former Villan is on his way to the East Midlands to link up with Enzo Maresca’s side and claim that the former Premier League champions are in a position to announce the acquisition of the midfielder who will initially join their under-21s set-up.

This follows earlier reports from the Daily Mail that claimed that Wild’s Bluebirds were among a host of clubs, such as Wolves, Doncaster Rovers, and Morecambe, that were interested in securing the midfielder’s services.

Raihky was one of eight players who was released by the Premier League outfit in June after making a single appearance for the Villa first team during his two-year spell in Birmingham.

The former Villan has lower league experience, making a combined 16 appearances during loan spells at League Two sides Stockport County and Grimsby Town when they were both in the National League.

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Leicester City set to complete signing of forward for seven-figure fee

Stephy Mavididi is poised to finalise his switch to the King Power Stadium over the weekend

Leicester City are closing in on yet another signing as part of their big summer rebuild under new head coach Enzo Maresca.

The former Man City assistant manager has took on the responsibility of trying to guide the Foxes back to the Premier League at the first time of asking following last season’s relegation, but he’s had to see many senior players depart both for fees and on free transfers.

James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Youri Tielemans, Jonny Evans and many others have all departed the King Power Stadium in recent months, but not only has it reduced the wage bill dramatically but they have raked in the best part of £78 million in transfer fees.

City are committed in trying to win promotion in 2023-24 from the Championship and have added England international experience in the form of Conor Coady and Harry Winks on permanent deals, as well as bringing in young Brondby goalkeeper Mads Hermansen for around £5 million and Man City centre-back Callum Doyle on loan.

One area that Leicester are yet to strengthen in though is in their attacking areas, and with the losses of Maddison, Barnes and Ayoze Perez, more depth and quality is needed in the final third.

A target that the club have seemingly had on their radar for a number of weeks is that of Stephy Mavididi of French outfit Montpellier, but as of yet a deal has yet to be confirmed.

What is the latest on Leicester’s interest in Stephy Mavididi?

However, Leicester look like they are now going to get a deal over the line for the versatile 25-year-old forward.

According to respected journalist Fabrizio Romano, a deal has been agreed between City and Montpellier for Mavididi’s services, in which Leicester will pay €7.5 million (£6.4 million) for the Derby-born attacker.

Montpellier will also retain a sell-on clause for any future move that Mavididi may make away from Leicester in the future, and he is set to undergo a medical on Saturday before being announced as the Foxes’ latest addition.

Mavididi is a graduate of Arsenal’s academy but failed to make a first-team appearance for the Gunners, taking in loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Preston North End before being sold to Juventus in 2018.

He played primarily for their under-23’s but did make one Serie A appearance for the first team before being loaned to Dijon in 2019.

Mavididi then joined Montpellier permanently a year later for €6.3 million – which means they’ll make a small profit on his sale – and in three years he scored 21 times in 96 appearances.

Where will Stephy Mavididi fit in at Leicester?

With Maresca seemingly adopting a 4-3-3 formation this season in his first year in charge, Mavididi will more-than likely slot in on the left flank as a direct replacement for Barnes.

Youngster Wanya Marcal-Madivadua has been featuring in pre-season in that role but it may be better if the teenager is eased into competitive action seeing as though he is just 20 years of age and has played just one competitive match.

Mavididi did come through the ranks at Arsenal as a striker, but he adapted to play on the left of a front three more often than not at Montpellier, so that is most likely where he’s going to feature under Maresca with Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka battling it out to be the starting striker.