Over the past decade, Leicester City have lifted both the Premier League and the FA Cup. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the club have splashed the cash over the years, in the hopes of becoming a top side in English football. Although this worked throughout both the late 2010s and early 2020s, it looks like the money spent has come back to haunt them. With the Foxes now in the EFL second tier, hopes of spending £40m on a top midfielder look eerily far away.Here are the five most expensive Leicester City midfielders ever.
Five Most Expensive Leicester City Midfielders Ever
1. Youri Tielemans – £40 Million
In January 2019, then wonderkid Youri Tielemans made the switch from the south of France to the East Midlands. A six-month loan deal, which also saw Adrien Silva go the other way, was successful as the Belgian registered a combined tally of seven goals and assists in 13 appearances.
This led to the completion of a deal that summer for a club record fee of £40m. The now 28-year-old went on to spend much of the next four seasons under Brendan Rodgers, as his side proved to be competitive. Two top-five finishes and FA Cup delight felt like money well spent, especially as it was a Tielemans wonder goal that won it at Wembley.
Read More:The 2015/16 Leicester City Title Winning Signings: Where They Are Now
However, after rejecting numerous contracts, the once beloved midfielder left on a free in 2023. He swapped Royal Blue for Claret and Blue that summer, following a shock relegation from the Premier League. At Aston Villa, Tielemans has continued to perform as Unai Emery’s side finished fourth and went deep in the Champions League.
2. Oliver Skipp – £25 Million
Despite arriving just five years after Tielemans, Oliver Skipp joined a completely different situation. In the summer of 2024, Steve Cooper was in charge of the Foxes as they won promotion back to the Premier League just months prior. The objective coming into the campaign was to remain in the Premier League. When looking at the recruitment, it is clear that the likes of Cooper and Jon Rudkin wanted top division experience.
As a result, Skipp joined from boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £2om plus £5m in add-ons. Despite making just five league starts in the previous campaign, the Englishman made his move to the East Midlands as a necessary addition. However, the 24-year-old would struggle to establish himself as he made just 10 starts and was the fourth-choice option for much of the season.
For the upcoming season, there will be high expectations of Skipp to perform, especially as both Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumaré are likely to leave.
3. James Maddison – £24 Million
The 2018/19 season was pivotal in the Foxes’ recent history. Just two years prior, the club did the unthinkable and won the Premier League, but it was then simply about remaining a top side. The season prior, Claude Puel’s side achieved a ninth-place finish, despite a horrifying event off the pitch involving owner Khun Top.
James Maddison was among the additions that transfer window, as he joined from Norwich City for a deal worth up to £24m. The attacking midfielder went on to become a pivotal part of Rodger’s side and even achieved an output of 19 G/A in the infamous relegation season.
Read More:Top Five Most Expensive Leicester City Strikers of All Time As Foxes Hunt for Jamie Vardy Replacement
Since then, the 28-year-old has moved to Tottenham for a fee of £4om. In his two seasons, he has helped Ange Postecoglou’s side to a top-five finish and Europa League victory.
4. Adrien Silva – £22 Million
Adrien Silva’s move to the East Midlands soon became highly anticipated, especially after the club missed the deadline to sign him in August by 14 seconds. Despite the complications, a move from Sporting eventually became official in January 2018. In his first six months in royal blue, Silva made 12 Premier League appearances.
Read More:Leicester City 2014/15 Great Escape Side: Where Are They Now?
However, he would appear just three times the season after this. The lack of minutes, therefore, led to a year-and-a-half loan spell with Monaco. After his tenure in Ligue 1 and a lack of minutes in England, Sampdoria was the next destination for the midfielder. He joined on a free in 2020, and remained in Italy until January 2022.
5. Bilal El Khannouss – £21 Million
Another “wonderkid” to have made his name in Belgium is Bilal El Khannouss. After two successful seasons with Genk, where he made just under 100 appearances as a teenager, he made a lucrative move to the Premier League, joining Cooper’s side as a creative outlet. The English manager cried out for a creative spark following a dominant 3-0 defeat in pre-season away at Lens.
Despite this, the Moroccan international struggled to establish himself early on, making just three starts under Cooper. However, under Ruud Van Nistelrooy he did begin to improve and played a pivotal role in all of the side’s best performances. The main issue for the attacking midfielder was the lack of support as his teammates came unstuck way too often. For the upcoming season, it is unclear whether El Khannouss will stay in the East Midlands or move elsewhere, especially as there is interest from the likes of Arsenal.