BARGAIN HUNTERS
How Leicester have become the Premier League’s...
Leicester city pulled down the blinds on their transfer window feeling that the view through the glass was rather rosy.
Like many other Premier League clubs they worked until the final hours of deadline day, signing Nathan Dyer on loan from swansea, but the substantial part of their recruitment had been completed long before.
With Leicester third in the Premier League, claudio ranieri’s reign has got off to a surprisingly good start, but the italian has been quick to pay tribute to staff working behind the scenes as well as predecessor Nigel Pearson for the players at his disposal.
riyad Mahrez is a candidate to be named Premier League Player of the Month, Jamie Vardy has continued his fine form to gain another england call-up and shinji Okazaki has shown guile and finesse to justify his £7million fee.
this trio provide a clear picture of Leicester’s recruitment structure thanks to a method worth noting.
Vardy arrived from Fleetwood for a non-league record fee of £1m in May 2012, Mahrez was signed for £350,000 from Le Havre in January 2014, and Okazaki came in late June from Mainz, before Pearson was sacked. All three bear testament to Leicester’s scouting system and transfer process led by steve Walsh, Pearson’s assistant, who, notably, was kept on throughout a turbulent summer.
Walsh, head of recruitment, was at chelsea for 16 years and Jose Mourinho appointed him european scout. He worked with then assistant Andre Villas-Boas on the signings of Didier Drogba and Michael essien before leaving for Newcastle under sam Allardyce, then forming a bond with Pearson and moving to Leicester.
Walsh works closely with David Mills, the club’s chief scout, and will receive information on players from a team in the field as well as through video analysis from Wyscout, a company that films clips of thousands of matches across the globe. trusted agents also play a significant role in recommending clients who might match Leicester’s particular brief.
First, club management identify a desired position and style, and then a shortlist of options is drawn up based on the financial commitment likely in any deal. then the numbers on a player are crunched — minutes per chance created, distance covered and speed reached, balls won back, plus many more variables — by Ben Wrigglesworth, who took over as head of technical scouting earlier this year, an impressive role at just 24 years old. Japan international Okazaki joined this summer though Leicester first pursued him a year ago.
As well as his goalscoring record — 43 in 93 internationals — and commercial appeal in the Far east, the home of thai owners Vichai and Aiyawatt srivaddhanaprabha, the 29-year- old’s high work rate, contribution out of possession and versatility were key factors.
Okazaki operated as a striker for club and country, but played wide at stuttgart. He was also accustomed to pressing from the front, as Leicester like to do.
Mahrez now looks an incredible bargain, plucked from France’s second division. Just 24, he has scored four Premier League goals already this season.
Walsh first went to watch Mahrez approximately 18 months before he signed, having identified the need for a wide player of speed and skill. two other targets were shortlisted — one playing in Ligue 2, the other in Bundesliga 2, both now internationals — but Mahrez stood out.
the crucial stats for Mahrez were the amount of positive, attacking actions he attempted and succeeded in executing.
His contract situation also appealed — he had six months left so Leicester’s hand in negotiations with Le Havre was strong — as did his intention to play for Algeria rather than France. the African nation had qualified for the World cup in Brazil so Leicester knew his motivation levels would be high that second half of the season in a bid to make the squad.
Vardy, 28, is getting better with age and is now worth far more than the sum Leicester paid three years ago. But it should be remembered what a gamble that kind of cash represented.
released by sheffield Wednesday as a teenager, Vardy had never played League football, moving from stocksbridge Park steels in the eighth tier to Halifax town as recently as 2012.
Pearson knew about Vardy from his stocksbridge days — the former manager lived locally — but only when he performed consistently for Fleetwood did Leicester step in.
Walsh watched him several times at Fleetwood, including against Wycombe away in the FA cup. the club wanted a striker to press from the front and Vardy excelled.
Peterborough and cardiff also had bids accepted but Leicester got his signature after Pearson invited Vardy to his home and impressed.
Vardy initially struggled and doubted himself amid criticism but has come through and is a shining light of Leicester’s recruitment team. statistical analysis reveals that he sprints 500 metres per match, more than double the Premier League average.
‘ that deal was b*** s on the chopping block,’ said one source. ‘it was a calculated risk that paid off but could have been a disaster.
‘Fans on social media got to him and he needed to be boosted up. But the fee looks cheap now because he has been brilliant.’
Not all signings have proved such a success. the jury is still out on croatian international striker Andrej Kramaric following his £9m move, for example.
But Leicester’s structure works and breeds stability, even after personnel changes.
ranieri’s opinions are now fed into the system and the signing of Atalanta defender yohan Benalouane is primarily his. Gokhan inler was on the radar for some time, while N’golo Kante is very much a product of scouting.
Whether these players are hits remains to be seen. What can be certain is that the homework has been done.
The numbers on a player are crunched