Leicester target Sporting Lisbon starlet Plata
Leicester City are weighing up a move for Sporting Lisbon winger Gonzalo Plata.
Plata joined Sporting in January 2019 in a deal worth around €1million from Independiente del Valle in his homeland of Ecuador.
The winger spent the latter half of last season with Sporting’s youth set-up and has graduated to the senior side this term, managing one goal in 11 Premeira Liga appearances before the campaign was suspended as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Plata, who has managed four appearances for Ecuador, is rated at around £20m by the Portuguese club and Leicester have been tipped to make a move when the summer transfer window opens.
The Foxes will face competition as Premier League rivals Watford have also been mentioned as possible suitors.
Leicester are likely to have Champions League football to offer any summer targets and that could well out them ahead of Watford in the battle for Plata’s signature.
The Hornets are also unlikely to follow up their interest in the event of them being relegated from the Premier League.
Manchester City were linked with Plata prior to his move to Europe although it appears any interest they held in the player has cooled.
Leicester have also been linked with Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes as the club put together their list of targets for the summer window.
Magalhaes is rated at around £25m by the French club but again the Foxes will face some competition, with both Arsenal and Everton also keen.
There may be a few outgoings as well and Chelsea continue to be linked with full-back Ben Chilwell.
Leicester are in a strong position in regards to the defender as he is under contract until 2024, but the Stamford Bridge club appear ready to launch a move regardless.
