N’Golo Kante inspires Leicester to move for Rennes midfielder

Few had really heard of N’Golo Kante when Leicester City paid just over £5.5m for him in the summer, but such has been his subsequent success that the Foxes are already looking back across the channel at another French hope.

Kante has been one of Leicester’s many success stories as the East Midlands’ outfit have gone about shaking up the traditional Premier League form book.

With Danny Drinkwater and Andy King also on the books at the King Power, Leicester have plenty of options in the middle, though Gokhan Inler could be set to depart before the month is over.

The Foxes aren’t hanging around however, and have been linked this week with Rennes’ up-and-coming star Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Premier League rivals Watford made a move for the 23-year-old in the summer, but it ultimately failed to materialise, while Newcastle are also keeping tabs on the Frenchman.

Despite the competition, Leicester’s success thus far would see them favourites to capture the youngster’s signature.

Doucoure has featured 13 times in Ligue 1 for Rennes this term – netting twice – with the side doing well in seventh place.

The midfielder is valued at £4.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk but Leicester may have to go above that fee with Rennes reportedly reluctant to part ways.

For all of the heroics from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez this term, much of Leicester’s success has come through the superb partnership built up between Kante and Drinkwater, and Ranieri will be fearful of a major absence to one of those midfield linchpins.

In a deserved battle for a top-four place, Leicester are up against teams with much greater strength in depth, and Doucoure’s addition would go some way to boosting the Foxes’ chances of grabbing that Champions League spot come the season’s conclusion.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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