Kasper Schmeichel is a folk hero in Leicester, one of a band of brothers who upset the odds and thrilled a nation to win the 2016 title from under the noses of the “Big Six”.
It was one of the biggest shocks in the history of Premier League football and, at the start of the campaign, here at SBOTOP we joined the rest of the market by pricing Leicester City at 5001.00 to win the title.
But they did it.
And the Foxes owed a lot to the leadership of Schmeichel. There were other heroes of course as striker Jamie Vardy has become one of the best top-level strikers in the game while N’Golo Kante became a World Cup winner with France. But, as the last line of defence, Schmeichel has proved himself to be a born leader and a calming influence.
As a Denmark international he is part of another collective of heroes but, at the age of 35, his domestic career looks likely to take a different direction as reports in the French press have suggested that Schmeichel has agreed to transfer to Ligue 1 side Nice. It would be a wrench for the keeper who has spent 11 seasons at the King Power Stadium and has one year left on his current contract.
French sports paper L’Equipe has reported that Schmeichel is on his way to the south of France club but Leicester, the only Premier League side without a summer signing so far, will want to have a replacement lined up and they are considering a move for either Arsenal’s Bernd Leno or Nantes stopper Alban Lafont.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said: “Clearly we have to do some business out before we can get players in. We just are not in the same position as some of the other clubs. I trust the club implicitly. It’s a club that has always given me everything they have had since I’ve been here.”
But I fear this may be bad news for Leicester who are struggling to keep pace with the league’s big spenders, with Newcastle United likely to enter the race for a Europa League place in the coming season.
Forest going for it big time
Elsewhere in the East Midlands, there’s a real buzz in Nottingham where they are looking forward to top-flight football for the first time this century.
Like Leeds United, Nottingham Forest have a rich history at the top of the English game, twice winning the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 and their first job is to emulate the Whites by extending their latest stay among the elite.
The early Premier League 2022 betting odds have pitched the newcomers as relegation candidates but the marquee signing of Jesse Lingard was one of the big Premier League 2022 news stories last week.
And it has really got the Forest fans dreaming that they will not only survive in the top-flight but they can thrive too. Lingard is a real talent and he was wanted by West Ham, but Forest head coach Steve Cooper persuaded the former Manchester United midfielder to join him at the City Ground.
Lingard is one of 11 incomings so far at Forest and there is about to be a 12th as the club has agreed to lay out £12.7-M to sign Stuttgart star Orel Mangala. The 24-year-old midfielder made 29 appearances for the German side last year as well as making his debut for Belgium.
Forest are also working on a deal to bring Real Betis wing back Alex Moreno to the Premier League and are in the hunt for Burnley winger Maxwell Cornet, while last month they brought in Taiwo Awoniyi, Moussa Niakhate, and Neco Williams, each for a fee of £17-M.
Cooper is spending big and it needs to pay off.
Scamacca is a Hammer
100 miles further south in London, 23-year-old striker Gianluca Scamacca has completed his move to West Ham from Serie A side Sassuolo in a £35.5-M deal. He has penned a five-year deal to join David Moyes’ West Ham and will become the club’s fourth summer signing.
With 16 goals from 36 appearances in Serie A, Scamacca became one of the most watched strikers in the European leagues and he has joined the other new arrivals at the London Stadium – defender Nayef Aguerd from Rennes, goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain, and Flynn Downes from Swansea City.
The signing of Scamacca is certainly an exciting coup and will soften the blow of missing out on Lingard.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
