Patson Daka’s Leicester City career appeared to be coming to an end until recent performances for Enzo Maresca’s team.
Patson Daka’s time at Leicester City appeared to be coming to an end during the January transfer window, but the striker has scored or assisted three goals in his previous three Championship games, potentially saving his future.
After failing to leave the King Power Stadium during the summer, the forward has yet to play consistently under Enzo Maresca, but has started the last three games in the absence of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.
The former RB Salzburg forward joined the club as a highly-rated player and would have hoped to get some game time in the Midlands after his club was relegated to the Championship.
He had a cameo appearance against Sunderland and in an EFL Cup encounter against Liverpool, but has mostly been left on the bench or left out of matchday squads in recent games, so it’s been quite a reversal.
But, with Iheanacho and Vardy out due to illness and injury, it was up to Daka as a starter and Tom Cannon as a replacement to fill their shoes.
Patson Daka is being pursued by the Premier League.
Daka has been widely linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium for months, with Bournemouth failing to secure a deal before the summer transfer window closed. Elsewhere, it appeared like Brentford were planning to replace Ivan Toney with the Zambia international.
According to Sky Sports in Italy, via Milan News, there was an agreement between Leicester and AC Milan to send the center-forward to the San Siro on deadline day, but the suggested move fell through for whatever reason.
Daka has also been linked with Everton and Monaco, and given his position in Leicester’s pecking order, interest is sure to remain in January. Many may have felt Daka’s career in Leicester was gone after his game time at the club had become virtually non-existent.
Leicester City’s Daka quandary
The 25-year-old joined Leicester from RB Salzburg in 2021 for a reported sum of £23 million, and he appeared to be a very exciting addition at the time. Prior to this season, the striker has only 15 goals and eight assists in 74 games with the Foxes.
Prior to joining Leicester, the Zambian international scored 61 times in 87 games in the Austrian Bundesliga and is simply one of the division’s most brilliant forwards. He’s always had the potential to explode this season under Maresca, and we’re finally seeing that happen.
There are a few reasons working against Vardy and Iheanacho, which could boost his case for a starting spot in the long run. Vardy isn’t getting any younger and isn’t a player for the future, while Iheanacho’s deal expires in 2024.
His revival arguably justifies keeping him around longer, even if many at the club were ready to cut their losses next month. The goal and assist against Plymouth Argyle, the goal against Millwall, and his overall performance level have provided food for thought for Maresca and the Leicester management.
The club should intend to keep him for what will be a difficult second half of the season, and Maresca will certainly need to rely on his deep squad for the final stretch. His team has one of the most impressive attacking options in the league, and Daka is surely a part of that.
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