Leicester City know all about owning a clinical striker but they could have signed another during their title-winning campaign.
Jamie Vardy continues to prove that age is just a number, as the 37-year-old scored his sixth goal of the campaign in Leicester’s 2-2 draw with Brighton last weekend.
It saw an impressive Vardy stat emerge, as he already doubled the goal tally he achieved during their relegation campaign in 2022/23 (three).
Bobby De Cordova-Reid even labelled Vardy as a ‘joke’ for scoring and assisting in that game, with the Englishman’s scoring exploits a key ingredient in the Foxes’ hopes for survival.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will be thankful he can rely on the former England international to produce when it matters, seeing him move level for goals with someone who Leicester could have signed previously.
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Newcastle United FC at Brentford Community Stadium on D...
Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Leicester City could have signed Newcastle striker Alexander Isak as a 16-year-old
When Leicester were on the verge of lifting the Premier League title in April 2016, the Daily Mail reported that the Foxes were watching AIK’s Swedish teenage forward Alexander Isak.
This was after the striker, who was aged just 16 at the time, broke into AIK’s first team and scored two goals in four games.
Isak also impressed Leicester scouts in Sweden’s recent UEFA Under 17 Championship qualifiers against Wales, Portugal and Croatia.
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Of course, Leicester were never able to snap up the talented forward and he’s since made them pay for not capturing him as an unknown quantity.
Since Newcastle snapped up the Swedish striker for £63 million in August 2022, he’s risen to prominence as one of Europe’s best forwards.
In 82 appearances for the Magpies, the 25-year-old has plundered an impressive 42 goals, 37 of which have come in the Premier League.
Now, he’s wanted by multiple top clubs, including title-chasers Arsenal, although Newcastle have reportedly slapped a £115m asking price on his head (TEAMtalk).
Isak can come back to haunt Leicester City
This weekend, Leicester travel to Newcastle United, aiming to build on their win over West Ham and draw at Brighton.
Van Nistelrooy could have six players out injured for the clash, most notably Harry Winks and Wilfried Ndidi, while Boubakaray Soumare is suspended for the match.
However, that isn’t the only issue on the Leicester manager’s hands, as he must figure out a plan to contain Isak.
The Swedish superstar has already plundered 10 goal involvements in all competitions, and the Foxes will hope he doesn’t build on that total on Saturday afternoon.