Leicester City sign underwhelming Monaco winger Rachid Ghezzal

Leicester City has completed a four year deal with the Algerian winger for a reported 10 million euros. Ghezzal will be a replacement for Riyad Mahrez after he left for Manchester City earlier this summer.

Leicester City has been in search of another winger since Riyad Mahrez left the Foxes for Manchester City a few months ago, and it looks like they have finally found their man. 26-year old Rachid Ghezzal has officially completed a deal with Leicester City from Monaco.

The Algerian international joined Monaco last season on a free transfer from Lyon, where he spent five seasons, making 119 appearances. He netted 14 times during that span, while also tallying 20 assists.

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Last season with Monaco, Ghezzal made 33 appearances, scoring twice. He also appeared in four Champions League fixtures. City boss Claude Puel coached Lyon from 2008-11, while Ghezzal was part of the club. He didn’t make his first team debut till after Puel left, but the Frenchman remembers his creativity and competitiveness from the Lyon academy.

"“I know his qualities from my time at Lyon, where he was in the academy, and I look forward to seeing him test himself in the Premier League,” Puel told Leicestershire live."

Style of play

Ghezzal is a great playmaker out on the flank, evident by his number of assists during his time with Lyon. He has great speed and skill on the wing, using his quick footwork to weave through defenders and pick out strikers with through balls.

He also has great vision on the pitch, showing the ability to find teammates with passes all over the field.

Expect him to team up with Jamie Vardy a lot up front, just like Vardy and Mahrez did so many times in their stint together with the Foxes.

Ghezzal is a very similar player to Mahrez, other than both hailing from Algeria and playing the same position, they also have a similar style on the flank, relying on their quickness and play-making ability to create chances.

Combine Vardy’s speed on the attack and Ghezzal’s ability to thread the needle with a pass, and it should be an exciting combination to watch.  Ghezzal will score from time to time, but his creativity and hard-working style of play will be the two assets that will contribute the most.

Ghezzal looks to be Leicester’s final signing before the transfer window ends on Thursday. Other notable signings for the club were Ricardo Pereira from Porto, who used to play under Claude Puel for Nice in France.

Manchester United are still trying to sign defender Harry Maguire from Leicester, but the Foxes have made it clear they aren’t in a position to part ways with the center-back.

The Foxes begin their season on Friday as they take on The Red Devils at Old Trafford.