Leicester City set to be crowned Champions at Theatre of Dreams

 

As reported in the Daily Mail, on Sunday, a sold-out Theatre of Dreams could see another club crowned champions, with Leicester City just a win away from their fairy-tale season having a happy ending.

That is despite the usual 18-man squad used by Claudio Ranieri this season having cost less than £31million in transfer fees, while Louis van Gaal's cost £328.5m.

United sit fifth in the Barclays Premier League and are chasing qualification for Europe's elite competition next season.

Leicester secured Champions League football on April 10 and, less than three weeks later, could have the title in their back pocket too.

Jamie Vardy will not play this weekend after the Football Association slapped him with an extra one-game ban following his sending off against West Ham for diving.

Yet the striker has starred for Leicester all season and scored 22 goals, despite having cost just £1m when the then-Championship club signed him from Fleetwood Town for a non-League record.

Leicester's most expensive player was Shinji Okazaki, who cost £7m from Mainz last summer.

Riyad Mahrez, meanwhile, the Premier League's Player of the Year, cost just £440,000 from French club Le Havre.

Apart from Jesse Lingard, Sergio Romero and Marcus Rashford, who all cost nothing, their cheapest player was Chris Smalling for £10m.

A pricey purchase, meanwhile, was Anthony Martial, whose £36m fee paid to Monaco could still rise to £58m with add-ons.

There was also Juan Mata, whose £37.1m fee cost more than the entire 18-man Leicester squad.

As well as the former Chelsea midfielder, there is also Marouane Fellaini, who cost £27.5m, and Morgan Schneiderlin on £27m.

Money has counted for nothing this season and it will be the same again when it is XI vs XI at Old Trafford and a Premier League title is there for the taking.

Jb