Leicester’s record signing Ahmed Musa admits the best decision he ever made was giving up goalkeeping to become a striker so feared that he is looking to make an immediate impact on the Premier League.
The 23-year-old Nigeria international moved to the King Power Stadium for £16.5mn (19.7mn euros) from CSKA Moscow earlier this month and, having given up his goalkeeping ambitions as a schoolboy because of his diminutive stature, the 5ft 7in tall forward has no worries about coping with the physical challenge of the English top flight.
Musa became a striker while still at school when he decided to hang up his goalkeeping gloves. He believes it was a decision that made his career, which has now taken him to England as a short-term understudy and potential longer-term replacement for England striker Jamie Vardy, who is six years his senior.
But Musa believes the pair could also operate in tandem. “I was a goalie between 10 and 12,” he revealed. “But changing was the best decision of my life because I would never have been good enough to become a professional goalkeeper.
“It was difficult at first but then you get used to the fact you are not very big. A lot of people used to tell me ‘Musa, you are too small to be a striker.’ But I said: ‘It doesn’t matter what size you are, it’s what you can do that matters’.
“I think I am like Jamie Vardy. I have speed, I like to work hard, we are similar in lots of things. Am I faster? I can’t say yet, I have never played with him. But I am looking forward to finding out!
“I’m looking forward to playing with Vardy. I like his style. I think we can fit well together. I think this is the right time for me to join Leicester. Last season, they were going after the title.
“This time we are starting afresh — that’s why I chose to join them this season. I’m from Nigeria and all Nigerian players would like to play in the Premier League. I think this will be a good league for me.”
Musa also admits he has been stunned by the Leicester work ethic in pre-season training. “When I started my first session I was thinking ‘wow’,” said Musa. “Because I have never seen that in Russia — but now I am getting used to it. The intensity here is quite different to Russia. Here it is a little bit harder, in Russia they are more laid back.
“I think that is the most difficult thing, but I think that is the secret behind Leicester’s success. Everyone is focussed and everyone is happy with each other. That’s the biggest secret — if you’re all happy with each other you can achieve a lot.”
Ahmed Musa
