WHO NEEDS HARRY MAGUIRE? NOT LEICESTER NOW SUPER SOYUNCU IS FINDING HIS FEET
HOW do you replace the world’s most expensive defender? After pocketing a £63million profit from Harry Maguire’s move to Manchester United, Leicester could easily have spent big. But the canny club refused to panic buy, with £40m-plus deals ruled out for Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and James Tarkowski of Burnley. Bournemouth’s £75m price tag on Nathan Ake also proved prohibitive.
Leicester already had their man. They had tracked Caglar Soyuncu for a year and, despite interest from across Europe, the central defender joined for £19m from Bundesliga side Freiburg on deadline day in August 2018.
It was a testing first season for Soyuncu, 23, who found himself behind Maguire, Jonny Evans and Wes Morgan in the pecking order. He featured in six Premier League games, one under Brendan Rodgers.
But the young Turk, who has 24 caps for his country, hasn’t missed a minute of Leicester’s unbeaten start, which continued with a fine 3-1 home win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Soyuncu is three inches shorter than 6ft 4in Maguire, but he is as comfortable in the air as he is on the ground. Naturally rightfooted, he has worked on his weaker foot to the extent he now plays as a left-sided centre back, like his idol Mats Hummels. Soyuncu touched the ball 92 times against Bournemouth, more than any player. He also made the most passes (82) and the most tackles (five).
He has his own fans’ song and is fast-becoming a favourite. ‘You sense the supporters are really enjoying watching him play,’ said Rodgers. ‘He does a couple of wee maverick things that make you wonder sometimes, but he’s young and you can see he’s aggressive. He attacks the ball well and he can defend.’ There is work to be done.
Soyuncu played Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson onside for his goal, but Rodgers has a history of improving young players.
‘He’ll learn from the first goal because he’s got to track the runner. He’s got to go with Wilson into the box. These are things which show his youth but he’s got huge potential,’ he said.
Jamie Vardy decided an end-to-end game with two goals and an assist for Youri Tielemans. Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe called Vardy a ‘constant menace’ and the first was one of the best of his 83 Premier League goals. Playing on the shoulder of the last man, he turned and latched on to Ben Chilwell’s tremendous 50-yard pass. Letting the ball drop over his left shoulder, Vardy lifted a 25-yard lob with the outside of his right foot beyond the helpless Aaron Ramsdale. Howe, whose side are hit by injuries, had no complaints about the result, saying: ‘We only have ourselves to blame for what happened today. There were some good bits in there but we conceded such poor goals.’ Yet events could have been different. In the 55th minute with Leicester leading 2-1, Tielemans clumsily landed his right foot on Callum Wilson’s right ankle. Debutant referee Peter Bankes had a clear view but referred the incident to VAR official Martin Atkinson, who decided it did not merit a card of either colour. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Rodgers — who is a fan of VAR — agreed and focused on Jefferson Lerma’s firsthalf challenge on Evans, for which he was booked. ‘Have a look at that tackle. You could argue it was worse,’ he said. ‘When they are slowed down, they look awful. ‘But I like it. It takes a bit of pressure off referees.’