Leicester City are set to battle it out with Premier League champions Manchester City for the signature of Lazio shot-stopper Christos Mandas this summer, according to reports.
Following Queens Park Rangers‘ 4-0 win over Leeds United three weeks ago, the Foxes earned promotion back to the top-flight, managing to fend off the potentially disastrous financial repercussions of remaining in the Championship for another season.
Despite a rocky end to the campaign, Enzo Maresca’s side managed to complete their primary task of returning to the Premier League, lifting the title in the process. Unfortunately, Leicester have been charged with breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules and face a possible points deduction as of next season, putting them at a disadvantage from the get-go.
Nevertheless, with the assurance that the club will be playing in the top division of English football once again, bearing the monetary fruits that come with it, Leicester City have begun looking at the summer transfer window to strengthen the squad ahead of what could be a difficult return to the Premier League.
One name reported to be on the recruitment department’s list is Lazio star Mandas. According to Il Corriere dello Sport, via The Laziali, the Foxes have emerged as contenders for the Greek goalkeeper’s signature but face competition with Man City as the European giants consider him an option for their U23s.
The 22-year-old only recently moved to Serie A from OFI Crete for an undisclosed fee, although this has been rumoured to have been around £770,000. Currently, he has a market value of £856,000, as per Transfermarkt, meaning any suitors will have to pay more than Lazio signed him for at the beginning of the season.
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Despite being a second-choice goalkeeper at the Stadio Olimpico this season, Mandas has made 12 appearances in all competitions for the Biancocelesti, featuring nine times in the league and thrice in the Coppa Italia.
While he may not be Maresca’s first-choice in goal, moving to Leicester City would at least offer him a better route to play in the Premier League. Should he join Manchester City, Mandas would have to play in the U23s before possibly getting the chance to take over from Stefan Ortega on the bench a few years down the line.
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