Leicester close to signing £25m-rated ex-Tottenham target

Leicester are closing in on their first signing of the summer by snapping up £25m-rated Porto right-back Ricardo Pereira, reports The Daily Telegraph.

The Foxes endured a disappointing end to the season but are already pressing ahead with their plans for the 2018/19 campaign.

Claude Puel’s side have made signing a long-term replacement for Danny Simpson a top priority this summer and are already close to solving that problem.

Pereira, who can also play further forward, has developed into a top quality right-back in the last few years and was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham last summer.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side instead signed Serge Aurier from Paris Saint-Germain; while Pereira went on to play an integral part in Porto's title-winning campaign.

The 24-year-old is now on the cusp of moving to England where he will reunite with Puel, having previously worked under the Frenchman during a productive two-year loan spell at Nice that came to end last year.

The Portugal international finished the campaign in the WhoScored Team of the Season in Liga NOS, while only five players secured a higher WhoScored rating than Pereira (7.54) in the division.

Furthermore, only Bebeto (124) and Lubomir Fejsa (101) completed more tackles than Pereira (99) in Liga NOS this season.

Given Leicester are reportedly on the verge of signing Pereira, it’s worth considering the versatile right-back in your Football INDEX portfolios. His share price is currently £1.05 and that should only increase over the coming months and into next season.