The signing of N’Golo Kante was another stroke of genius by the Foxes.
The Foxes were relegated from the top-flight last term under the combination of Brendan Rodgers and Dean Smith, with Enzo Maresca now tasked with bouncing the club straight back to the big time.
Leicester would go on to stun world football back in the 2015/16 season when they lifted the Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri.
A big part to their success that term was French midfielder N’Golo Kante, who arrived at the King Power Stadium and was a key component to their surge in form.
Leicester reportedly acquired the services of Kante for £5.6 million, with such a cheap investment returning a significant profit despite only spending a single season in the East Midlands.
The now 32-year-old was sourced as the replacement for Esteban Cambiasso and was scouted by Steve Walsh, who had negotiated the previous transfers of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.
Kante went on to score his first goal for the Foxes in November 2015 against Watford and received a host of plaudits for his consistently impressive displays for the club.
Kante’s doggedness and exceptional work rate in midfield protected the backline immensely, with a high number of tackles and interceptions registered that made Leicester a much more solid outfit in defence.
As Leicester marched to the Premier League crown, Kante was one of four Foxes players to be named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Kante asserted himself defensively by topping the stats in multiple departments. By the end of the season, Kante had managed 175 tackles (31 more than any other player) and 157 interceptions (15 more than any other player).
These achievements would see the Frenchman earn a move to top-flight heavyweights Chelsea, for a reported £30 million fee.
How has N’Golo Kante performed after leaving Leicester City?
Kante moved to West London and racked up 190 appearances at Stamford Bridge across seven seasons, registering 11 goals and 13 assists in that time.
The midfielder would go on to win the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup with the Blues.
In his first term at Chelsea, Kante was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the second consecutive season as well as later being named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, the FWA Footballer of the Year, and the Premier League Player of the Season.
Kante became the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back‑to-back top-flight titles in England with two clubs.
During the 2020/21 season, Kante was named the UEFA Men’s Midfielder of the year after their Champions League triumph.
Kante recently joined Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on a free transfer and has featured 18 times so far for the club.
For one season in the East Midlands, it couldn’t have been much better for the Frenchman, who was such a key part to one of the biggest footballing underdog stories the sport has witnessed.
Kante’s accolades collected after his departure from the King Power Stadium are testament to the level of quality he could produce on a consistent basis, and Leicester definitely made the move for Kante at the right time with him on the rise
The Foxes have sanctioned other very successful transfers in Mahrez and Vardy but there is no doubt Leicester would have found it much more difficult to win the Premier League without Kante’s presence in the heart of the midfield.
His ability to adapt to Premier League life instantaneously and showcase his talents against the best players in the world has to make him one of the best transfers in the last decade, particularly for paying such a nominal fee.
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