N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez may have moved on from the Foxes for big fees, but Danny Drinkwater’s departure shouldn’t be overlooked either.
Looking at their 2013/14 promotion-winning squad, Jamie Vardy was signed from non-league outfit Fleetwood Town, Kasper Schmeichel arrived from Notts County, Anthony Knockaert was poached from French outfit Guingamp and Riyad Mahrez had come in during the January of 2014 from Le Havre.
Both Knockaert and Mahrez were successful at the King Power Stadium – and it was clear that the Foxes had richly benefitted from the French market – with Claudio Ranieri then going on to secure the signature of N’Golo Kante.
Key recruitment figure Steve Walsh played a huge part in signing the likes of Mahrez and Kante, with this extensive scouting paying dividends.
Danny Drinkwater’s arrival and time at Leicester City
One player who was recruited closer to home was Danny Drinkwater, who signed for the Foxes from Manchester United permanently in January 2012 following a series of loans in the EFL.
It was reported by the Daily Star (via Tribal Football) that he had joined Leicester for just £750,000, a nominal fee when considering how much he was eventually sold for.
He became a key player under Nigel Pearson instantly – and made more than 40 league appearances during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons – reinforcing just how key he was to the Foxes’ promotion.
Despite making some valuable contributions in the final third in the Championship from midfield, it was unclear how he was going to adapt to Premier League football.
He was on the bench for a decent chunk of Leicester’s first season back in the top flight, but he was key under Pearson’s successor Ranieri during the 2015/16 season.
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
Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez and Kante have gone on to enjoy success at Manchester City and Chelsea – and Leicester were well-compensated for both of their departures. Kante was reportedly signed by the Foxes for around £5.6m before being sold for £32m, allowing the Midlands club to make a big profit on him.
Mahrez, meanwhile was signed from Le Havre for £450,000 before being sold to Man City for £60m.
The fact Leicester made a near-£60m profit on a player who didn’t come from their academy is an exceptional achievement, with their scouting in the French market many years ago paying off.
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Despite the fact Mahrez and Kante were flipped for a big profit, that shouldn’t take away from the fact Leicester also secured a very nice profit for Drinkwater, nearly £35m.
The fact the midfielder didn’t achieve that much following his departure to Stamford Bridge reinforces how good this business was.
Barely making an impact for the Blues, he was then loaned out to Burnley, Aston Villa, Kasimpasa and then-Championship side Reading.
He featured most heavily for the Royals and although he did enjoy some bright moments at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, he also looked unfit for a chunk of his time there and was heavily criticised by some supporters.
It’s a shame that his career ended the way it did, because he was a very technically-gifted footballer who could thrive at the top level when on top form.
But it could definitely be said that the Foxes cashed in on him at the right time and that probably gave the club more to spend in future windows.
