Nampalys Mendy to Leicester: Foxes closing in on £11.5m deal for Nice midfielder that could spark N’Golo Kante exit

LEICESTER City are closing in on an an £11.5million deal for Nice midfielder Nampalys Mendy.

But that would raise a question mark over the future of in-demand Foxes star N’Golo Kante.

Mendy, 23, is due in Leicester today to put the finishing touches to the deal according to French sources.

It was Mendy who Foxes’ scouts targeted 12 months ago when they wanted to bring in a replacement for the departing Esteban Cambiasso.

But when they failed to land him, they bought Kante for £5.6millon instead.

Now Leicester are back in for Mendy – who is also a midfielder with a similar small build – and it would be their first major signing of the summer.

That suggests the club might cash in on Kante who has a £22million release clause in his Foxes deal.

Kante has been a revelation since working under boss Claudio Ranieri – earning a France call up as well as being part of Leicester’s Premier League winning squad.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG all have an interest in Kante and Leicester may not be able to resist.

The Foxes are in a similar position with striker Jamie Vardy but he is edging towards staying at the King Power Stadium.

Mendy has been called a ‘carbon copy’ of former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makele who Ranieri worked with at Stamford Bridge.

Leicester are close to an agreement with Nice for Mendy who is also wanted by West Ham.

Ranieri knows he must strengthen his squad with a Champions League campaign starting in September.

But he faces a period of uncertainty with the future of wide man Riyad Mahrez also in the balance along with Vardy and Kante.