What can Leicester City fans expect from Adrien Silva this season?

Sporting Lisbon midfielder will become Leicester City’s biggest transfer at a whopping £38M.

Sporting Lisbon midfielder Adrien Silva revealed he is set to sign for Premier League defending champions Leicester City, saying: “Yes, I confirm this proposal. Leicester is very interesting and corresponds to my career goals.

“After the past 15 years at Sporting, this opportunity is something exceptional for me and can allow me to express and impose myself in another championship, and also to evolve in the Premier League, which is a stunning league.”

But what can supporters expect from the £38M-man this season?

Silva in the peak form of his career

Adrien Silva is coming off the back of a fantastic season at Sporting Lisbon, scoring and creating 14 goals, according to Transfermarkt, and he was ever-present in their Europa League campaign too. The 27-year-old midfielder has a real eye for goal, occupying spaces on the edge of the box to create scoring chances for himself, but also cultured enough to lay on opportunities for his teammates.

The Euro 2016 winner captained his boyhood Sporting side as they finished runners-up to Benfica, but has enjoyed a fantastic year for form with club and country. He potentially joins Leicester City at the peak period in his career, and will likely operate in a central attacking-midfield role to play off the striker. With Leicester looking for more creativity in the side, Silva could be key in unlocking defences who opt to sit deep to counteract their counter-attacking style.

Engrained in Leicester’s industrious nature

In addition to providing creativity in the final third, Adrien Silva is highly industrious and will cover every blade of grass to put pressure on the opposition to turnover possession. This season’s, he’s so far averaged a tackle or interception every 18 minutes, has won 50% of his aerial duels, but does often give away fouls (6).

The fast-paced nature of the Premier League would take some getting used to, but he does look the ideal player to join Leicester’s midfield to provide a blend between style and substance. He’s capable of threading balls in between defences, but also has the steel do provide a physical threat. He’s in the peak form in his career, and doesn’t come cheap, but Leicester’s midfield is depleted after Gokhan Inler was sold so they need to adequately replace him.

Leicester are 12/1 to finish in the top-four of the Premier League this season, but signing a Euro 2016 winner like Adrien Silva could boost their chances of a lofty finish.