Leicester set to break transfer record – again – on Nigeria striker
Champions Leicester are poised to break their transfer record for the second time in days by signing Nigeria striker Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow for £16.6m.
The 23-year-old, who has scored 54 times in 168 appearances for the Russian side, is expected to travel to the Midlands this week to complete a long-anticipated move.
“Everything has been finalised and Musa will be in England for his medical on Wednesday,” his agent Tony Harris told the BBC.
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CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky confirmed the move, adding: “If you look at the way things are done over there, you'll see he is a player just made for English football.”
Musa can play as a winger or a striker and joined CSKA in January 2012 for £4.25m after two years in Holland with VVV Venlo, where he netted 10 times in 42 games. He has also scored 11 times in 58 matches for Nigeria.
He came close to joining the Foxes in January, while his prospective arrival comes after Leicester announced the £13m signing of French midfielder Nampalys Mendy on Sunday.
The club have already made three other close-season signings – defender Luis Hernandez from Sporting Gijon, German goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler from Hannover, and young Spanish striker Raul Uche of Rayo Vallecano.
Leicester have also succeeded in resisting attempts to prise away the heroes of their 5,000-1 odds-defying Premier League title success last term, such as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante.
Vardy rejected an offer from Arsenal after the Gunners triggered a release clause in his contract with a £20m bid, and the striker is instead set to sign a new deal at the King Power Stadium.
PFA Player of the Year Mahrez looks set to stay at the club, but Kante has been linked with Chelsea.