Leicester interested in Championship star wanted by league rivals

Leicester City are reportedly interested in Middlesborough star Marcus Tavernier. The English midfielder seems likely to move for this summer.

‘Interested FC‘ are at it again. This time, another transfer story links the King Power club to an up-and-coming Championship player who already has three seasons of senior experience under their belt. This being Marcus Tavernier.

According to those reports, Middlesborough have rejected two bids worth £10m for their star, as the newly promoted Premier League sides look to sure up their quality depth. If they should hold out, Everton and Leicester have been touted as involved.

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For ‘Boro’, this English midfielder has been versatile, creative, and thoroughly impressive since breaking into the senior side after a loan spell with MK Dons. Having appeared in the senior team 155 times (over 50 more appearances than Ayoze Perez has with us over the same period), Tavernier has become a mainstay.

The player has amassed five goals and a further five assists in the 21/22 season, Over his whole Middlesborough career, he has amassed 18 goals and 18 assists. Though these are not necessarily prolific numbers, they are contributions, which is more than can be said of some of our own players.

This is likely what interests the Foxes. The player is a contribution to the team, not a burden, and offers much more than just ball retention or goal scoring – he is a creator. Were Youri Tielemans or Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to depart, he would be a suitable replacement.

However, there is a big gap between him and ‘KDH’ or Boubakary Soumare. Unless we are finally going to sell either Papy Mendy or Hamza Choudhury to make space, it makes little sense to sell any of the others.

In essence, we need more midfielders like Tavernier, yet whether or not the Englishman would be happy to play from the bench for the most part of his career is highly questionable. Equally, I doubt the Foxes should buy another £15m bench warmer when it is our first team which needs work.