Leicester's rivals spending heavily

THE BOSS

Claudio Ranieri simply does not believe the hype - and why would he?

The genial Italian masterminded the greatest EPL story ever told last season in the face of sneering, nay-saying and the arrogance of the league's old order.

Some 12 years since he was deposed by Chelsea, his "Tinkerman" reputation was belatedly shorn with the statistic that he used fewer players than any other manager in the English top flight.

He transformed Leicester City from non-believers into champions by retaining their core principles and coupling them with a renewed self-belief as well as an appreciation for the lighter side of life.

Players were afforded a minimum of two days off per week to cope with the demands of the EPL while pizza parties became a staple of their sauntered route to the pinnacle as reward for a defence that became as tightened as their potential waistbands.

Football

S’pore court orders EPL to block 25 illegal streaming sites

Mar 21, 2024

Related Stories

Last-gasp Darwin Nunez goal puts Liverpool four points clear of Manchester City

Timo Werner sparks Tottenham comeback win over Crystal Palace

I'll miss him but I'll sleep better, Guardiola says of Klopp's quit decision

It was a management style that lent itself to the days when the game's top flight was indebted to a social culture far more than the EPL's current fitness-conscious isolationism.

Always with a smile, Ranieri retained his pessimism of Leicester's title hopes until the very last; conceding just 10 days before Tottenham's draw at Chelsea confirmed their coronation.

He remains under no illusions of the task that lies ahead for Leicester; with the left-field element replaced by one of expectancy as the reigning champions.

That in itself, coupled with the retention of the majority of his title-winning crop, bodes well that the Foxes may again live up to their cunning nickname, albeit to a lesser extent.

THE STARS

1 Jamie Vardy, 29, striker

Cynics will argue that Vardy had 100,000 reasons to turn down Arsenal's overtures, but it is loyalty rather than finances which motivate the England striker.

It would have been easy for him to continue a remarkable career trajectory with a lucrative move to the Emirates Stadium; yet he opted for the comforts of the King Power.

A poacher's instinct in last weekend's Community Shield defeat by Manchester United suggests that even a miserable summer at Euro 2016 has done little to dampen the raw attributes that helped transform Vardy into a history-maker in last season's EPL.

2 Riyad Mahrez, 25, winger

Another player on Arsene Wenger's shopping list, where the current PFA Player of the Year will reside beyond the close of the transfer window on Aug 31 remains the great unknown.

Personally involved in 28 of Leicester's goals last season, both scoring and assisting, his pace and creativity were invaluable assets for Ranieri's side in their title push.

Equally crucial as Vardy, if not more, the champions face an anxious fortnight with the EPL's chasing pack continuing to lurk with intent.

3 Nampalys Mendy, 24, midfielder

If replacing a player as influential as N'Golo Kante was not already challenging enough for Mendy, Ranieri's admission that the France international had performed the role of two players last season has further cranked that pressure.

He does not grab the headlines as much as his predecessor's all-action performances did, but excelling in simplicity rather than spectacular is what defines the 24-year-old's game.

Reuniting with his former Monaco manager will afford Leicester a more measured reading of the game from midfield rather than the relentless tackling approach of his predecessor, now at Chelsea.

THE ANALYSIS

Leicester's fairy-tale triumph may never be repeated again in an EPL now awash with unprecedented riches.

But it is more than money which threatens to put paid to their title defence. Those that fell behind the current champions have replenished to ensure they won't be fooled again.

Ranieri has also invested heavily even by his and Leicester's modest standards, breaking the club's transfer record with a £15 million ($26.2m) capture of Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow to supplement their current embarrassment of attacking riches.

Astute business remains a staple of the Foxes' business with Bartosz Kaputska, a star of Poland's Euro 2016 campaign, and Sporting Gijon defender Luis Hernandez both arriving on free transfers while Nampalys Mendy represents a modest replacement for N'Golo Kante.

Fears of a mass exodus have been minimal with only Kante's sale to Chelsea, to date, the singular attempt to break up the title-winning class. The prospect of losing the likes of Mahrez - undeniably one of last season's standout performers - continues to linger.

Should they retain the Algerian, Leicester will be primed to put up a fight in their title defence far more than their bruising pre-season campaign had previously suggested.

Four-goal punishments by Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, coupled with a Community Shield defeat by Man United, should serve as ample wake-up call for the champions of what will be expected of them in a maiden Champions League campaign.

That foray into Europe's elite club competition may prove an unwelcome distraction in efforts to retain their domestic crown. Yet, the togetherness that characterised Leicester's unlikely success will remain an invaluable asset in the weeks and months to come.

LEICESTER: KEY INS AND OUTS

INS

• Nampalys Mendy (from Nice, £10m)
• Ahmed Musa (from CSKA Moscow, £15m)
• Ron-Robert Zieler (from Hannover 96, £2.6m)
• Luis Hernandez (from Sporting Gijon, free transfer)
• Bartosz Kaputska (from KS Cracovia, free transfer)

OUTS

• N'Golo Kante (Chelsea, £30m)
• Mark Schwarzer (released)
• Paul Konchesky (released)