M'Bala Nzola could be a suitable replacement for Jamie Vardy as Leicester City look to fill the role the legendary striker once occupied.
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Following their relegation from the Premier League, there's set to be a mass exodus at King Power Stadium as numerous key figures at Leicester are reportedly leaving the club this summer.
The likes of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes have been linked with several high-profile clubs, while Youri Tielemans has already agreed terms with Aston Villa once his contract at the Foxes expires.
One name that looks set to stay, though is Vardy, with the striker's contract running until next summer.
After scoring 170 goals in 11 seasons, Vardy struggled last season and at 36 years old, his best days are likely behind him, leaving new manager Enzo Maresca with a massive hole in the team that he needs to fill, and it seems Nzola is a name they've identified as capable of replacing their long-serving icon, as per Italian outlet Spezia 1906.
It's thought that the 26-year-old frontman has a release clause of just €10m (£8.5m).
Would M'Bala Nzola be a good replacement for Jamie Vardy?
The 26-year-old titan would be a suitable candidate to replace Vardy, and while he hasn't quite shown a prolific ability in front of goal to the level that the Englishman displayed during his prime, there are certain areas of Nzola's game that match up well with some of the Leicester legend's best seasons.
With 13 goals this season, and 11 two seasons ago, Nzola has shown he has the ability to score on a regular basis and will provide goals for the Foxes front line which they've sorely lacked this year. This season was Vardy's worst in front of goal at Leicester, with just three goals, so signing the 6 foot 1 forward would immediately improve on the Englishman's current output.
Nzola has also shown his effectiveness carrying the ball, recording an average of one successful dribble a game this year, which is a similar number to the 1.1 dribbles a game that Vardy averaged during the Foxes' Premier League winning campaign and is higher than the forward's averages in every year since.
He's also shown his ability in the air, winning an average of 1.4 aerial battles per game this season, which is a similar number to the 1.3 aerial battles won a game averaged over the last four years by the 36-year-old.
Once labelled as "very strong" by former Spezia general director Guido Angelozzi, Nzola would reportedly only cost around £8.5m, so signing him would come relatively cheap in comparison to the money the Foxes are set to make through player sales, but it's also an astute business deal considering the shrinking budget compared to last season.
The Midlands outfit are always going to have a hard time replacing a club legend with the record that Vardy has, but Nzola would be a great start and could flourish at the club.
