Leicester City’s top 5 record transfers in the club's history [ranked]

Throughout their history, Leicester City have not been known to break the bank on a transfer. 

Before 2014, their record-breaking signing was Matt Mills from Reading, who joined for £5 million in 2011.

In context, the world’s most expensive signing this year was Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for £86 million.

It was not until after the historic and famous 2015/16 season that Leicester started to spend more. Before this infamous season, Leonardo Ulloa was their club record signing. 

The title winning season catapulted the Foxes into financial heights that they had not had before, in turn increasing their revenue, allowing for greater and more expensive transfers.

Leicester in the late 2010s became renowned for their ability to buy young players at low prices, only to sell them for Premier League record fees just a season or two later.

For example; Harry Maguire, who was bought for £12 million and sold to Manchester United F.C for £80 million, or Riyad Mahrez who was only signed for £400,000 and was sold to Man City F.C for £60 million.

We look at the top 5 most expensive Leicester City transfers of all time and examine the player’s resulting impact on the squad:

5. Patson Daka

• Position: Centre-Forward 
• Nationality: Zambia
• From: RB Salzburg (Austria)
• Season: 2021/22
• Transfer Fee: €30 million / £27 million

Patson Daka's arrival to Leicester City marked the club's 5th most expensive signing in their history. Having joined from RB Salzburg for £27 million, the young forward has injected the Leicester front line with fresh dynamism and attacking options. 

The Zambian forward highlighted the Foxes' strategy to invest in up-and-coming players. Having scored 54 goals in 82 games in the Austrian Bundesliga, Daka unfortunately was not able to translate this firing form into his 53 games in the Premier League, only managing to net 9. 

Daka’s game is characterised by his incredible speed and agility. His pace allows him to exploit defensive gaps and get behind opposition backlines, making him a constant threat in counter-attacking situations. Additionally, his athleticism and work rate make him a valuable asset in pressing high up the pitch, a trait that fitted well with Enzo Maresca's tactics and style of play.

While primarily a centre-forward, Daka's versatility allows him to play across the front line. This flexibility provides new manager Steve Cooper with tactical options, whether deploying Daka alongside Jamie Vardy, as a lone striker, or on the wings to exploit his pace.

4. Islam Slimani

• Position: Centre-Forward 
• Nationality: Algeria
• From: Sporting CP (Portugal) 
• Season: 2016/17
• Transfer Fee: €31 million / £28 million

At the time of the signing, Slimani was Leicester City’s most expensive transfer of all time. Leicester signed the Algerian for £28 million from the Liga Portugal, and was seen to be a key addition to enhancing Leicester attacking options after the historic season prior. 

Slimani scored 52 goals in his 91 game spell at Sporting CP, meaning his transfer to the Premier League was filled with excitement for the Leicester fans. 

Slimani made an immediate impact at Leicester, scoring on his debut in a 3-0 victory over Burnley. He quickly formed a partnership with compatriot Riyad Mahrez, benefiting from Mahrez’s creativity and crossing ability. Slimani’s early performances included crucial goals in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, where he helped Leicester progress to the knockout stages in their debut season in Europe.

However, despite these promising signs, Slimani’s time at Leicester was marked by inconsistency and injury struggles. His form fluctuated, and he found it challenging to maintain a regular starting spot with amid competition from other forwards like Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki. Over time, his role became more peripheral, and he was often used as an impact substitute.

In an attempt to regain form and playing time, Slimani was loaned out to several clubs, including Newcastle United, Fenerbahçe, and AS Monaco. These loan spells produced mixed results, and Slimani struggled to recapture the prolific form he had shown at Sporting CP. Eventually, he left Leicester City permanently, moving to Lyon in 2021.

3. Ayoze Perez

• Position: Left-Winger
• Nationality: Spain
• From: Newcastle (England) 
• Season: 2019/20
• Transfer Fee: €33.4 million /£29 million

Having had his career go a little quiet in the latter stages of his Leicester career, Perez has been able to revive himself in LALIGA, where he has earned himself a position in the UEFA EURO 2024-winning Spain squad. 

However, his time in the midlands wasn’t plain sailing. Having signed a 4-year contract from Newcastle United , there was a lot of hope from the Leicester City fanbase. During his time in Newcastle, Perez had shown he had been able to adapt to English football, helping them earn promotion back to the Premier League.

Known for his scoring ability and versatility across the front line, Perez’s qualities made him a valuable asset for the Foxes under manager Brendan Rodgers at the time.

His work rate suited the style of play that Leicester City played under Rogers at the time. In his first season, he was an important figure in the team which achieved their second-best Premier League finish and won the FA Cup.

However, his time at Leicester was not all that it was built up to be. Having only scored 15 goals in 115 appearances, the £30 million price tag was not exactly paid off. 

2. Wesley Fofana

• Position: Centre-Back
• Nationality: French
• From: Saint-Etienne (France) 
• Season: 2021/22
• Transfer Fee: €35 million / £36.5 million

The signing of little-known young defender Fofana in 2021 was a gamble made by the Leicester board, but one in hindsight has paid off.

Seen to have remarkable maturity, athleticism, and defensive acumen, Leicester had thought to have signed one of the best up-and-coming defenders of the generation.  

Despite his young age, Fofana exhibits exceptional composure and confidence on the ball and excellent timing and precision in tackles. Fofana’s speed and agility also made him stand out amongst the rest, allowing his team to play with a higher defensive line. 

Upon joining Leicester, Fofana made an immediate impact, quickly becoming a mainstay in Brendan Rodgers’ defence. His performances helped Leicester maintain a strong defensive record and compete for European places in the Premier League. The Frenchman was also part of a rock-solid defence which helped them win the FA cup in 2021.

Despite his impressive performances, Fofana faced the same challenges then that he does to this day: injuries. A brutal leg injury in a pre-season friendly in 2021 saw him sidelined for several months.  

Since this injury, the young defender appeared 12 more times for the Foxes before making a big money move to Chelsea for £75 million (including add-ons). 

1. Youri Tielemans

• Position: Centre-midfield
• Nationality: Belgium
• From: AS Monaco (France)
• Season: 2019/20
• Transfer Fee: €45 million / £40 million

Youri Tielemans, the Premier League seasoned professional, signed for Leicester City in 2019 for the club's record-breaking fee of £40 million. This marked a significant statement to the rest of the league, showing the Foxes' ambition to stay in the top half of the table and fight for European places at the time of the signing. 

Leicester had loaned Tielemans from AS Monaco in France in January 2019 where he impressed, prompting a permanent signing later that year. Since then, he became a key player during his time in the midlands, scoring the winner against Chelsea in the 2021 FA Cup final, and winning the community shield at the start of the following season. 

Known for his all round midfielder capabilities, his game is built on versatility and his box-to-box style of play. He is happy to play both the No. 6 and No. 8 role in the team's midfield, with holding both scoring and defensive contributions. 

Tielemans is also very comfortable to play with both feet. This makes him the perfect pivot in a team's set up. He’s a player who likes to slot into space in the centre of the park, and progress play further, especially with the level of passing and vision which he possesses.

During his time at Leicester, his midfield partner Ndidi and himself formed a formidable duo. With the aggression of Ndidi and the intelligence of Tielemans, they together possess qualities which brought the best out of each other. 

Tielemans now finds himself at Aston Villa, leaving Leicester on a free transfers after letting his contract run down. 

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