What would Adil Rami bring to Leicester if they miss out on Michael Keane?

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Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has made a point of strengthening the Foxes defence this summer, adding to his side with the signing of Spaniard Luis Hernandez from Sporting Gijón and has also identified Burnley centre half Michael Keane as a priority target.

The Premier League champions however have been so far frustrated in their pursuit of the Manchester United academy graduate, who has two years left to run on his contract at Turf Moor but has reportedly turned down a new deal. Leicester will be making a ‘third and final offer’ for Keane in the next few days, with a bid in the region of £15m, which is still short of the £20m valuation set by the Lancashire club.

If the Foxes fail to prise their man away from the Clarets, the Premier League champions look set to turn their attentions to another target to bolster their back-line in the form of Sevilla’s French international centre-half Adil Rami.

Born in Corsica to Moroccan parents, Rami made his name in Ligue 1 with Lille OSC and has since made 89 appearances in La Liga for Valencia and Sevilla and has experience in Serie A having spent a season with AC Milan following an initial loan spell in 2014 making 39 appearances for the Rossonieri. The experienced 30-year old has 31 caps for France and has featured at two major tournaments with Les Bleus.

The 6ft 3 inch centre-back is marginally taller than Keane, but with the latter only 23 years of age, Rami would be an experience option rather than a youthful one at the heart of the Leicester defence, and has swathes of experience both at club and international level compared to the youngster who nonetheless is an England U21 international but yet to make his senior bow.

This experience within the highest levels of football would certainly make Rami a reliable option compared to the unproven Keane, who whilst effective in the Championship has only ten games of experience in the Premier League from a loan spell with the Clarets in their 2014-15 campaign when they suffered relegation to the Championship, having previously made one substitute appearance for Manchester United.

Having bounced straight back, the Turf Moor outfit and manager Sean Dyche will be keen to keep hold of their young centre half which may just make a move for Rami a likely outcome for Ranieri and Leicester.

Keane does show much promise, but given his limited Premier League exposure he would still be somewhat of a slight gamble, and would have to make the step up to help the Premier League champions consolidate. The recruitment of Rami would not only be that of a defender with experience of the top European leagues, but one who has pedigree in the Champions League, a competition where Leicester will make their bow in 2016-17, and they will need all the experience they can acquire if they are to be serious about leaving a mark on Europe’s premier club competition and competing well with the top clubs in Europe.

Given his age, Rami would be unlikely to be an option for the future and a player to develop contrary to Michael Keane, but for the champions, experience will be a key part of their formula going into next season as they look to not only follow up their title triumph with further success in the league, but do battle with Europe’s strongest in a substantially bloated fixture schedule compared to what they’re used to.

Experience and pedigree will be vital in helping the club adapt, and it will be this over a blueprint for the future if the Foxes turn to Rami. The French defender is capable on the field too, known for his strength, aerial ability and his tendency to burst forward and play out from the back. His delivery is a proven potent point in his game, having showcased his assist skills during Euro 2016, crossing for Antoine Griezmann to head home France’s winning goal in their Group A clash with Albania.

Either player would have their pros and cons, but with Leicester primed to dine at the top table of European football for the first time, knowhow and experience at such a level will be vital, and in that regard Adil Rami would be the complete package to slot into Leicester ‘s rearguard. In the meantime Ranieri will prepare to test the resolve of Burnley to cling onto Michael Keane once more, but if that endeavour proves fruitless, a bid for the Frenchman may not be too far away.

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