Leicester City have emerged as a potential destination for Inter Milan’s out-of-favour midfielder Matias Vecino.
According to a report from Gazzetta Dello Sport, Matias Vecino is set for a move away from Inter Milan in the upcoming January transfer window. The midfielder doesn’t have any future at the club, with the Italian champions hoping to offload him next month before his contract expires at the end of the season.
Vecino has been already approached by Inter’s title rivals, Napoli. But it appears the midfielder favours a move to the Premier League, with the report suggesting Leicester City as a potential suitor.
Formerly of Fiorentina, Vecino has been a part of the Inter Milan side since 2017, when he joined the club for a fee of almost €25 million. The midfielder has since featured in 119 competitive appearances, scoring 13 goals.
However, since the start of the 2019/20 season, the Uruguayan international has had difficulties getting regular game-time at Inter. He featured in a little under 300 minutes of league football last season, hardly playing a role in the Nerazzurri winning the Scudetto.
Injuries have been the main reason behind Vecino’s downfall in recent years. The 30-year-old was notably a victim of a serious knee injury in 2020 that kept him out for almost seven months. He missed 37 league games in the process, including the majority of Inter’s title-winning campaign.
Vecino’s struggles have not deterred Leicester City, who are keen on adding more cover for their central midfielders in January. Aside from the Inter Milan star, they have been linked with a move for Rangers star Joe Aribo, although they are likely to lose out to Aston Villa, with their coach Steven Gerrard sharing a good relationship with the player.
The Villans are incidentally involved in the pursuit of Vecino as well. It appears the midfielder’s expiring contract had made him a potential target for the club next summer. But with Vecino expected to depart in January, it remains unlikely Villa will pursue the target, as they look to shift their attention to players more familiar with Gerrard’s system.
It opens the door for Leicester City to snap up Vecino on a cut-price deal in January, although they may face stiff competition from one unnamed Premier League club while Napoli are involved in the race as well.
