Report: Nice's Nampalys Mendy nearing Leicester switch

Looking to bolster its squad ahead of next season's Champions League debut, Leicester City has reportedly made Nice central midfielder Nampalys Mendy its primary transfer target.

The two clubs are understood to have kicked-off discussions, with the Premier League champ reportedly offering a fee of €10 million for the Monaco academy product, according to RMC Sport.

For all the discussion surrounding Hatem Ben Arfa's dazzling season with the Europa League-qualifying Cote d'Azur outfit, Mendy has been lost in the discussion of one of France's best emerging midfielders.

The 23-year-old started all 38 of Nice's Ligue 1 matches, with 31 in a deep-lying defensive midfield role.

Less heralded than many of his peers, a transfer for Mendy bares a striking resemblance to the near-obscure acquisition of N'Golo Kante a year earlier from fellow Ligue 1 side Caen.

Mendy has drawn comparisons to Chelsea and France legend Claude Makelele, overcoming a lack of height to become a defensive midfielder with a penchant for robust tackles and breaking up attacks.

With Claudio Ranieri's lot looking for depth ahead of a continental campaign and a pair of hopeful cup runs, Mendy could spell relief to Kante and his midfield partner Danny Drinkwater, who played 37 and 35 Premier League matches respectively.