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Leicester City winger Marc Albrighton welcomes change of scenery after Aston Villa move

Marc Albrighton: Joined Leicester City this summer from Aston Villa
Image: Marc Albrighton: Joined Leicester City this summer from Aston Villa

Marc Albrighton has welcomed a change of scenery and is hoping that new club Leicester City can emulate Swansea following his summer switch from Aston Villa.

The 24-year-old progressed through Villa’s youth system before making his debut in 2009, but struggled to hold a regular place during his final two years at the club and was subsequently allowed to leave as a free agent this summer.

Albrighton, who made 19 Premier League appearances last season, has since linked up with Nigel Pearson’s newly-promoted Foxes as they prepare for life back in the top flight after a 10-year absence.

The winger had a brief loan spell at Championship side Wigan in the first half of last season, but has otherwise spent the entirety of his career with Villa, and says he is now relishing a fresh start.

"When you are at the same place of work for 16 years, you become part of the furniture," he told the Independent.

"People still saw me as that young lad from the youth team. To come to a new club and be seen as someone with a bit of experience makes me feel a lot better."

Villa have fought off relegation in recent campaigns – finishing in the bottom half for the last three seasons – and although that is likely to be the aim for Leicester, Albrighton acknowledges the difference in expectation levels.

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"The last couple of years were horrible. It was a scrap but we were where we deserved to be in the table," he said.

"Because of what the club had done in the past, expectation levels are sky high but the squad was not as good as the squads they had in the past.

"It is different at Leicester. We have a squad high on confidence but without the same expectations.

"There is no pressure on us and a belief that we can do well. Some teams struggle but there are others like Swansea who come up and taken the Premier League by storm and that’s your inspiration.

"You have to work harder to keep the ball in the Premier League and try to keep it for long periods. When you’ve not got the ball you need to be organised and stand tall and make sure everyone is doing his job properly.

"Leicester won promotion as an attacking side and that will not change but you will come up against sides who will keep the ball and you need to keep your shape and concentration.

"You need to be picking up points against the teams in mid-table and in the bottom half because not only are you gaining points yourself, you’re taking them off your rivals."

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