Enzo Maresca sends a clear message about Leicester City’s playing chances to Patson Daka.
Despite two unsuccessful Deadline Day deals with AC Milan and Bournemouth, Patson Daka remains in Enzo Maresca’s thoughts. Leicester City have an abundance of options when it comes to probable selection in head coach Enzo Maresca’s offensive areas.
On paper, Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka, and the latest acquisition, Tom Cannon, are in a different league from the rest of the Championship. However, according to the Italian’s favored tactical style, just one center-forwardhas has been fielded from the start in all five league games thus far.
Four of those have been started by Nigerian Iheanacho, with Vardy’s only appearance from the start coming in the 2-1 opening-day triumph over local rivals Coventry.
Meanwhile, Daka was continually connected with a transfer away from the King Power Stadium throughout the summer window, but he will now remain in the thoughts of his new head coach after two transactions that were in the final stages of completion fell through.
Which teams have been associated to Patson Daka?
Several teams were connected with a potential trade involving the Zambian international, who has been at Leicester since the summer of 2021 after signing from Austrian club RB Salzburg for a price of £22 million.
While Everton and AS Monaco were interested, Daka came the closest to leave the East Midlands on Deadline Day, with loan offers from both AC Milan and AFC Bournemouth.
However, both deals to the Italian giants and the South Coast were canceled, leaving the centre-forward in Maresca’s plans for the time being.
What is known about Patson Daka?
The former Manchester City assistant has revealed his stance on the attacker’s immediate future ahead of Leicester’s trip to fellow relegated outfit Southampton, saying that he will have a role to play in the coming months as a result of varying tactics depending on opponents, according to Leicestershire Live.
“He was one of the players who could leave, but it doesn’t happen,” Maresca explained.
“Now he’s here, he’s with us, and he’s one of the players for me.” We’ll utilize him if we need him.
“He’s a quick player who can attack and run behind the defense.” He can also link in the manner in which we choose to play. For us, he’s a complete player. We’ll call on him if we need to.
Despite his absence this season, Maresca was quick to recognize the Zambian’s positivity: “First and foremost, he’s a good guy.” Even though he didn’t play with us this year, he’s always smiling and upbeat. There are no issues now that the transfer window has ended.”
Former Chelsea manager and current Zambian National Team manager Avram Grant feels Leicester should give Daka a fresh start once the transfer season closes.
“I hope he gets more playing time because Leicester City didn’t play him because he wanted to leave.” “I’m sure he’ll play more for his club because he’s a natural scorer who can help them,” Grant said.
Will Patson Daka play frequently for Leicester City again?
Despite the presence of the aforementioned Vardy and Iheanacho in the early stages of this season, as Leicester have only suffered one defeat to Hull City, neither has scored a league goal.
Daka will believe that if given the chance, he has something to prove not just to his new coach, but also to the fans who have only seen him score 15 times in 74 appearances.
As Maresca mentioned, Daka’s pace and power will allow Leicester to stretch defenses and get in behind more frequently, something that hasn’t been used as much thus far because various opponents have paid the front line an awful lot of respect, which the Foxes have had to break down patiently.
Daka may also be ahead of Cannon in the pecking order now that the Deadline Day signing has been injured, with Maresca unable to say how long he will be out.
