#4 Riyad Mahrez: Le Havre to Leicester for £400,000
About 800 days ago, the Algerian, Riyad Mahrez, was playing his trade for a mediocre second tier French club. A couple of months before becoming the champions of the second tier of English football, Leicester City splashed a relatively modest amount on an unknown talent.
He struggled in his first full season at Leicester. He was short on goals and confidence. After a miraculous escape, the Foxes survived the drop and continued to play in the top flight of English football.
The 2015-16 season was a career defining one for Mahrez. Leicester beat the 5000/1 odds and won the Premier League trophy, a shock to every football fan. At the heart of their title-winning performance, Riyad Mahrez played a crucial role. He scored 17 times and assisted a further 11 goals and won the PFA Player of the Year Trophy. He became the first African to earn this accolade.
His transfer value has risen from £4.5 million to over £30 million within a year. The Riyad Mahrez story is exceptional and has all the twists and turns to be a Hollywood movie one day.
