Just one season after being demoted from the EPL, Leicester City FC has been gained automatic promotion to the English Premiership.
Chipolopolo talisman Daka if maintained at the Foxes could be gracing Europe’s most coveted domestic league once again after suffering an unexpected demotion to the second tier.
“I have gained experience,” the Zambian striker told The Athletic. “I am getting used to a different type of game. It’s fast and physical, but now I think going into it [the Premier League] would be a different experience.”
BolaNews lists five benchmarks that Patson Daka will be aiming for upon his comeback to the English Premier League.
5. Most Premier League seasons a Zambian player has featured in.
2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) winner Emmanuel Mayuka spent three seasons at Southampton FC between 2012 and 2015. However, Patson Daka could become the first Zambian player to make an appearance in three different Premier League campaigns, as Mayuka did not play any matches during the 2013–14 season.
4. First Zambian player to record 10 Premier League assists
With seven assists to his name, Daka boasts the most assists by a Zambian player in Premier League history. Ex-Leicester City star James Maddison was the chief recipient of those assists, scoring three times from the Zambian’s final pass. The duo shared a lot of chemistry on the pitch, often mimicking each other’s celebrations.
3. First Zambian to join the Premier League’s centurions
Daka has played 53 games for Leicester City in the English topflight since signing for them from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2021. With two years still left on his contract, not many would bank against the center-forward becoming the first Zambian to make 100 Premier League appearances.
2. First Zambian player to score 10 Premier League goals
The Chipolopolo marksman etched his name into the history books in 2021 when he became the first Zambian player to score a Premier League goal. Since opening his account against Manchester United, the striker has gone on to accumulate a total of nine Premier League goals. His next goal in the competition will make him the first Zambian in history to hit double figures.
1. Daka’s European adventure could be resurrected.
Leicester City’s return to the Premier League means European football is back within touching distance. With six goals in continental football, Patson Daka is Leicester City FC’s all-time top scorer in Europe. He still holds the record for the fastest hat-trick in UEFA Europa League history, with three of his four goals against Spartak Moscow in 2021 coming in the space of only nine minutes.
READ ALSO: Patson Daka of Zambia returns to the English Premier League.
