In the years preceding their title win, Leicester City conducted some outstanding business in terms of transfers.
Considering their promotion-winning team from 2013–14, we can see that Jamie Vardy joined from non-league team Fleetwood Town, Kasper Schmeichel came from Notts County, Anthony Knockaert was plucked from Guingamp in France, and Riyad Mahrez arrived from Le Havre in January 2014.
At the King Power Stadium, both Knockaert and Mahrez were successful; it was evident that the Foxes had profited greatly from the French market. Claudio Ranieri went on to sign N’Golo Kante.
Important hiring figure Steve Walsh’s thorough scouting paid off, as he was instrumental in the signing of players like Mahrez and Kante.
The arrival and period of Danny Drinkwater at Leicester City
Danny Drinkwater, who joined the Foxes permanently in January 2012 after a string of EFL loans from Manchester United, was one player who was brought in closer to home.
He signed for Leicester for a meager £750,000, according to reports from the Daily Star (via Tribal Football). This is insignificant given the amount he was ultimately sold for.
Under Nigel Pearson, he quickly established himself as a vital player, and his over 40 league appearances in the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons only served to highlight how important he was to the Foxes’ advancement.
Even though he made some significant midfield contributions in the Championship’s last third, it was uncertain how he would adjust to playing in the Premier League.
He spent a good portion of Leicester’s first season back in the top flight as a reserve, but under Pearson’s successor Ranieri in the 2015–16 campaign, he proved crucial.
He didn’t register as many goals and assists during the following campaign, but he played in the Champions League and made 43 appearances in all competitions.
With the midfielder signing a five-year contract back in 2016, the Foxes were able to demand a big fee for him back in the summer of 2017 and he was sold to Chelsea for a reported £35m.
N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez deals meant Danny Drinkwater’s Leicester City departure went under the radar
Kante and Mahrez have now found success at Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively, and Leicester was fairly paid for both of their exits.
The Foxes reportedly paid £5.6 million for Kante’s signing before selling him for £32 million, which allowed the Midlands team to profit handsomely from the deal.
Mahrez, on the other hand, paid £450,000 to sign with Le Havre before moving to Manchester City for £60 million.
Leicester’s unusual performance of making a profit of almost £60 million on a player who did not come from their academy can be attributed to their successful scouting in the French market many years ago.
Even if Mahrez and Kante were sold for a significant profit, Leicester also made Drinkwater a very respectable profit of around £35 million.
The midfielder’s lack of success after moving to Stamford Bridge just serves to highlight how excellent this transaction was.
He barely made an impression with the Blues before being loaned to Reading, Aston Villa, Burnley, and Kasimpasa, the reigning champions.
He played a major role for the Royals, and while he had some positive moments at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, he also appeared unfit for a significant portion of the game and drew harsh criticism from certain fans.
His career ended tragically, as a technically gifted football player capable of playing at the highest level when he was at his best.
However, it’s undeniable that the Foxes took advantage of him when it mattered most, and that likely provided the team with additional funds for subsequent window shopping.
