Premier League-winning goalkeeper and Leicester City icon Kasper Schmeichel could be ready to cash in his chips and leave the table at the King Power Stadium this summer after reports have surfaced linking the 35-year-old Danish international with a move to Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice.
Per reports from Get French Football citing the original story in French outlet L’Équipe, Schmeichel is said to have already agreed to terms with the Riviera outfit this summer, but his possible move to the top flight of French football is said to be wholly contingent on Leicester procuring a replacement.
Schmeichel still has a year left on his deal with the Foxes but according to LE, he is able to sign with a club outside of the Premier League this summer under the conditions that Brendan Rodgers’ senior squad has filled the inevitable void first.
According to Sport Witness citing Portuguese publication Record, Leicester is already targeting Greek international Odysseas Vlachodimos as the Dane’s successor.
Vlachodimos is said to have lost his place as the number one keeper at SL Benfica after the arrival of German manager Roger Schmidt, with the Portuguese giants open to letting him leave the capital this summer but will only listen to bids somewhere in the range of £12-17m, though SLB has yet to receive a bid from Leicester despite their reported interest.
Another potential avenue for the Foxes could come by way of Arsenal’s Bernd Leno, with the Gunners keen to move the 30-year-old German international off their wage bill this summer.
Marco Silva’s Fulham is currently in the driver’s seat for any deal involving Leno as Fulham is keen to add the former Arsenal number at Craven Cottage after once again climbing back into the Premier League, but the two clubs have yet to finalize a fee despite Leno being keen on the move on the back of his preference to remain in London.
If push comes to shove, Leicester could potentially switch gears and look to deal with the Gunners given Mikel Arteta’s continued interest in Belgian international Youri Tielemans.
As things stand, the Foxes will have to move quickly if they are to avoid any possible angst from Schmeichel’s camp, given the Dane’s apparent desire to move this summer - and to a club that has European football in the coming season - rather than seeing out his current terms at the KP Stadium.
