Leicester City winger Wanya Marcal has said he is “ready” to call on Enzo Maresco to return to the first team after committing his future to the club.
The 21-year-old made his league debut earlier this season and scored his first goal for the first team. His progress in the first team has now been rewarded with a new two-and-a-half-year contract, which was confirmed on Friday.
The youngster has come through the youth ranks at the King Power Stadium. After signing his new contract, he looked back on his career with City.
“I feel excited,” he told the club’s official website. “I’m happy to have signed it and to continue with the club in the future. It still feels a bit unreal. In about seven years I managed to come out of the academy, get a scholarship and become a professional.
“Looking back, I wouldn’t change any of that. I loved every second of it. Obviously, all I’ve been striving for since I came to the academy is to get into the first team and get a chance to play.
“To be around the boys all pre-season and to start games in the Championship and score my first goal was a great moment. When you are around professionals who have been playing professional football for a long time, you learn things on and off the pitch. It’s a great experience.”
Since the start of the Championship games against Huddersfield and Cardiff, in which he scored the opening goal, Marcal has been either an unused substitute or completely absent from the squad. He has been playing for the club’s Under-21 team to keep fit, although the winger is expected to be out until January with an injury.
Once healthy, Marcal is keen to continue impressing manager Maresco. He also explained what the Italian has brought to the team this season.
“It’s good just to stay fit, so if I get Enzo’s call I’ll be ready to prove myself and do my part for the team,” he added about playing for the development squad. “I think everyone has accepted his style of play and everything that goes with it.
“I think he brings a lot of togetherness to the team and I think everyone is behind him. Everybody trusts his process and everybody loves Enzo. They are flying, they are first and foremost, so we just need to keep working and hopefully we will get back to where we belong, in the Premier League.”