Iwan Roberts Believes Leicester’s Next Harvey Barnes Is a Teenager with ‘Bags of Potential’

Leicester City’s Rising Talent: Will Alves Compared to Harvey Barnes

Leicester City has a history of producing top talents, with Gary Lineker being a prime example and more recent names like Harvey Barnes, Ben Chilwell, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall following suit.

Currently, Kasey McAteer is carrying that torch, having attracted significant transfer interest.

This week, Sunderland made a £10 million bid for McAteer, but Leicester opted to keep him as part of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s squad.

However, they did approve a loan move for Will Alves, who has now joined Cardiff City on a six-month deal.

Despite Alves’ temporary departure, former Leicester player Iwan Roberts has high hopes for the youngster.

Speaking on the Feast of Football podcast, Roberts likened Alves to Harvey Barnes, believing he has the potential to become a key player for the club.

Roberts Sees Shades of Barnes in Alves

Roberts shared insights from Leicester’s coaching staff, emphasizing Alves’ talent and character.

“He has bags of potential, a fantastic attitude, and is a really good, honest, humble lad,” Roberts said. “I spoke to [former defender] Gerry Taggart, who worked with him in Leicester’s academy.

Leicester rated him very highly. They see him as a player similar to Harvey Barnes—he plays out wide, has plenty of pace, is direct, and can both score and create chances.”

However, Roberts noted that Alves suffered a serious knee injury a couple of years ago, limiting his playing time.

That setback has prevented him from making a significant impact at Leicester so far.

Van Nistelrooy a Strong Supporter of Alves

Ruud van Nistelrooy has spoken highly of Alves on multiple occasions, making it clear that he values the young winger’s abilities.

“What he has is speed, good feet, and the ability to create something,” Van Nistelrooy explained.

“He’s powerful, and that’s what we need on the wings—players who can take on one-v-one situations, deliver crosses, and beat defenders to create chances.”

Van Nistelrooy acknowledged Alves’ youth and the importance of continued development but remains confident in his potential.

Leicester’s management will be closely monitoring his progress at Cardiff, as the Championship side aims to climb away from the relegation zone.