Maresca could have replaced Vardy with a great academy player, and Leicester City might have discovered their next hidden talent.
As they prepare to make a push for promotion, Leicester City may have strengthened well this summer, but their most significant investment was upgrading the academy’s infrastructure.
The Foxes’ magnificent £100 million training facility, which includes 21 training facilities, 14 full-size training pitches, and a 499-seater pitch for minor team games, was unveiled in 2020.
The goal of this investment is to identify the most promising young players and find the successors to Ben Chilwell, Harvey Barnes, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the academy’s most successful recent graduates. The former two earned lucrative transfers to Chelsea and Newcastle, while Dewsbury-Hall is currently an essential component of Enzo Maresca’s successful team.
The newest academy star to emerge this year was Kasey McAteer, who for the Foxes was a revelation down the right wing, scoring three goals in four Championship games.
Amani Richards, a forward, is attempting to follow in the footsteps of McAteer, who is now one of the most promising young players in the second division.
Amani Richards: who is she?
Richards may just be 18 years old, but he is already establishing a reputation in the Midlands for his daring attacking performances for the youth teams.
In January 2022, the talented child was kidnapped from Arsenal’s youth system, and the Gunners may come to regret their decision to let him go.
Operating down the right flank or as a striker, Richards became one of the most tantalising young prospects in the U18s setup, chalking up an eye-watering 24 goal contributions in 36 appearances and has since translated that form into the U2’s after making the step-up this season.
He even came back to haunt his old club in their U18 meeting with Arsenal in March, scoring both goals for the Foxes in a 2-1 win as scouts from Newcastle and Brentford gazed their eyes on the sensational teen, and would have been in awe of his talents.
The teenage prodigy is garnering attention from a whole host of clubs and that attention is only going to be heightened after beginning his U21 campaign with one goal and three assists in his first four appearances.
With Leicester keen to extend his contract which currently expires in 2024, he’s a player they can ill afford to let go given the high ceiling he possesses.
Who could Richards replace at Leicester?
Leicester’s attacking output has largely come from wide areas this season with wingers McAteer and Stephy Mavididi scoring five goals between them, shouldering the responsibility in place of the misfiring Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.
While Vardy opened the scoring against Southampton inside 21 seconds, that was his first Championship goal of the season and with the Englishman seeing his output decline rapidly in recent years, Maresca will need someone to replace him in the near future.
The 36-year-old only mustered up three goals in the top flight last term, which is a barometer for how quickly he’s dropped from the peak of his powers, having reached double digits for goals in eight of the last nine seasons prior, winning the Golden Boot in the 2019/20 season.
With Vardy reaching the tail end of his career, someone has to deliver consistent returns in his place and as evidenced by the performances of Iheanacho this season, he isn’t likely to produce the goals that Leicester need.
Instead, Maresca could turn to his academy and unearth the exciting and skilful Richards, providing his side with the baptism of fire they need in a similar vein to McAteer.
