Taylor looks to Mancini

13 April 2012

Leicester manager Peter Taylor was today having talks with former Italian international Roberto Mancini after the veteran Lazio striker was recommended to him by Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Taylor is interested in signing Mancini on a short-term basis until the end of the season to help develop other strikers at the club such as Ade Akinbiyi and Trevor Benjamin.

The Foxes boss said: "Sven told me that Mancini is a fantastic professional and that he would be ideal to come here and do the job of adding experience to our attack.

"Sven saw us play at Ipswich on Sunday and even though it was a very poor performance, he understands that in general the team is okay as our position (sixth) in the Premiership confirms.

"But we are one very good player short and he said that Mancini could be of great value to us and that is something I am looking at.

"It will depend on how our talks go but if everything seems all right we will start with a month's loan so we can take a look at him.

"But there is the possibility that Mancini's stay with us could be extended until the end of the season."Mancini, 36, retired from Italian football last summer to become assistant manager to Eriksson in Rome.

But it now appears he could be set to follow Eriksson to this country after the Swede resigned as Lazio boss and took up the reins as England manager earlier than expected.

Taylor said: "Mancini would be a great help to our front players like Ade Akinbiyi and Trevor Benjamin who, because they are similar in style, are not ideal as a partnership, although they are trying hard to make it work.

"Trevor was always going to be a signing for the future and it is well documented that the idea was for Ade to learn from the experience of Stan Collymore, but that was not to be.

"Mancini could be the quality kind of player to work and play with them and help them along. He has got massive experience which he can put to good effect."

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