Patson Daka is looking to show his new team-mates why they were right to be so excited by his arrival when he makes his first outing in a Leicester City shirt on Saturday. The £23m summer recruit should feature when City play Burton Albion in their first summer friendly. Away supporters will be in the stands at the Pirelli Stadium, and they are not the only ones eager to see Daka in action. The 22-year-old Zambian has said his new colleagues were just as thrilled to see him arrive as he was to move to the King Power Stadium. In his few weeks as a City player, he says he has bonded well with his new team-mates, and is now looking to build on-field connections.
Patson Daka said: “So far, it has been really good. I am settling in really well. I think it has been so easy for me because everyone here is very nice. It’s like a family here. They’ve made me feel like I was part of the team already and I went out on loan and then I came back. That’s how I felt the very first day here. They were very excited to see me and I’m even more excited to be part of this amazing group. I’m just looking forward to what is coming ahead. I’m very much excited (for Burton). I’m looking forward to this game. Most importantly, also, to contribute to the team, to get to work together now. Because we’ve been playing against each other in training, now we come together to compete with another team. I think it’s something I’m really looking forward to. It’s now the time to build connections with the players and to understand each other better and this is a good step to start.”
He will be one of several new faces at Burton, with fellow new signings Boubakary Soumare and Ryan Bertrand also set to feature. Kamal Sowah, back from a three-and-a-half-year loan spell with OH Leuven, could also play, while youngsters Thanawat Suengchitthawon, Tawanda Maswanhise, and Wanya Marcal-Madivadua have also been in training this past week. For Daka, the level of quality at Seagrave more than matches up to that at RB Salzburg, the Austrian champions for whom he netted 34 goals last season.
Patson Daka added: “The level of quality is very high and the intensity as well. I love it. I really love it. I’m enjoying it because it’s not something new to me. In my previous club, the intensity was also high. There’s not much of a big difference for me, so I’ve really adapted.”
