Deadly Du
Leicester survived relegation thanks to a late
end-of-season surge in the 2014/15 Premier League
and, while they were hoping for better this season,
nobody could have foreseen the incredible rise
they have taken. Now Premier League champions,
Leicester have a number of players to thank, but
perhaps the club’s two strongest performers have
been PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez and
record breaker Jamie Vardy.
With over 50 goals and assists between them,
Mahrez and Vardy have been the face of Leicester’s
title push, combining searing pace with flair and
clinical finishing to be the most effective pairing in
the Premier League since Daniel Sturridge and Luis
Suarez linked up at Liverpool in 2013/14.
Algerian international Mahrez worked his way
through the lower leagues of France, starting at
youth level with AAS Sarcelles, beginning his senior
career at Quimper where he played for one season
before moving to Le Havre II. After scoring 24 goals
in 60 games for Le Havre II, Mahrez was promoted
to Le Havre’s first team, where he didn’t fare quite as
well, scoring just 6 times in 60 appearances.
However, Leicester City saw potential in the
midfielder and forked out £400,000 to secure his
Riyad Mahrez
Appearances 37
Goals 17
Assists 10
Fee £400,000
s
signature in January 2014. This potential that has
since been realised, having become one of the most
sought after players in the Premier League with the
likes of Arsenal, Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain
all being linked with a move for Leicester’s star
man.
Vardy has had a similar rise from seemingly
nothing. The Sheffield-born forward was playing
non-league football up until he joined Leicester
in 2012, having had spells at Stocksbridge Park
Steels, FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town
before making the jump to Championship football.
After his £1,000,000 move to the Midlands, Vardy
initially struggled for goals, scoring just four in his
first season at the club.
Despite a slow start, Vardy showed his quality
the following season, netting 16 times as Leicester
earned promotion to the Premier League, where he
has displayed a similar goal scoring pattern. On the
back of scoring just five goals as Leicester scraped
survival in the 14/15 season, Vardy has produced
one of the most incredible seasons of any striker
in the league’s history, with over 20 goals to his
name and a new world record, having scored in 11
consecutive league matches.
Fact Files
Jamie Vardy
Appearances 36
Goals 24
Assists 8
Fee £1,000,000
11