Izzet & Tielemans: Two Of City’s Midfield Icons
On 8 July, 1996, Turkey midfielder Muzzy Izzet officially became a Leicester City player, while on the same day 23 years later, Belgian Youri Tielemans also signed for the Club on a permanent basis following a successful loan spell the season prior.
Here’s a look at their illustrious City careers, along with eight other icons to have played in the middle of the park for the Foxes…
Muzzy Izzet
Fans’ favourite Izzet was at the very heart of helping Leicester to four consecutive top-10 finishes in the Premier League, initially arriving as a loan signing from Chelsea in February 1996.
What followed was a glorious period in the Club’s history under Martin O’Neill, beginning with returning to the top-flight and then securing two League Cup trophies in four years.
The iconic midfielder made 324 appearances, scoring 47 times and would also guide the Club back to the Premier League in 2003, before departing a year later as a Foxes legend.
Neil Lennon
Alongside Izzet during that successful top-flight spell, the tough-tackling Northern Irish midfielder enjoyed over four years at Filbert Street in the late 1990s, first winning promotion into the Premier League via the play-offs just three months after joining the Foxes from Crewe Alexandra for a reported fee of £750,000.
The following season brought more silverware in the form of the 1997 League Cup, Lennon’s first major honour, and he would lift it again in 2000 before joining O’Neill at Celtic at the end of the year, following a total of 210 Leicester games and nine goals.
Pontus Kåmark
Before both of those players arrived at Filbert Street, Sweden defender Pontus Kåmark was brought to the Club from IFK Göteborg and went on to play a crucial role in the 1997 League Cup Final, marking Middlesbrough’s Juninho out of the game as City triumphed in a replay at Hillsborough.
Although hampered by injury, the dependable Swede turned out 77 times for Leicester between 1995 and 1999, including the two-legged UEFA Cup clash with Atlético Madrid, once again coming up against Brazilian playmaker Juninho.
Andy King
The only player to have featured in the Foxes’ teams that won the first, second and third tiers of English football, there is no doubting Andy King’s legendary status at the Club.
From 2004 through to 2020, he was involved in some of the greatest moments in Leicester City’s recent history, including the Premier League triumph and a first-ever appearance in the UEFA Champions League.
Becoming an integral member of several squads, the Welshman scored on the day that Leicester lifted the Premier League trophy at King Power Stadium, one of 62 goals for the Club since 2007, in 379 appearances.
Danny Drinkwater
Also part of the 2016 title-winning team, Danny Drinkwater would often partner King in midfield during Leicester run to promotion from the Championship, while he also had a key role in City being crowned Premier League two years later.
Signed from Manchester United in 2012, he would go on to play Champions League football during the Foxes’ run to the Quarter-Finals of the European competition. His hugely successful five years included 218 matches and 14 Leicester goals before a move to Chelsea.
Esteban Cambiasso
Just one season at King Power Stadium was enough for Esteban Cambiasso, a Champions League winner with Internazionale, to be adored by the Blue Army, as the experienced Argentine produced some quality displays during the 2014/15 season.
His equalising goal in the 5-3 victory over Manchester United, one of five strikes in 33 appearances, was certainly a memorable one.
Nigel Pearson could count on the veteran midfielder to help the team pull away from danger and win seven of the final nine games of the season before signing for Olympiakos.
N’Golo Kanté
Another one season wonder on Filbert Way, French midfielder N’Golo Kanté was scarcely known on English shores when he arrived from Ligue 1 outfit Caen in the summer of 2015.
Premier League midfielders were soon aware of his incredible work-rate and tackling abilities, however, as he played a huge part in the Club’s historic title win.
The diminutive midfielder has since gone on to the win the FIFA World Cup with France and the UEFA Champions League at Chelsea.
Wilfred Ndidi
A defensive midfielder who has been influential ever since his 2017 move to King Power Stadium from Genk, Wilfred Ndidi combines power with excellent tackling and ball retention skills.
The Nigerian has made 176 appearances for the Club to date, including in the Champions League, UEFA Europa League and now has his first winners’ medal from the Emirates FA Cup.
Not often on the scoresheet, his goal in a 2-0 Premier League win over Chelsea in January 2021 sent the Foxes to the top of the table.
James Maddison
A mercurial midfield talent, James Maddison has lit up the Premier League during his three years at Leicester, netting several stunning strikes and earning his first senior England international call-up.
Formerly of Norwich City, he now sits alongside the best attacking midfielders in the division, scoring on his Europa League debut last season, one of 27 goals in a City shirt to date, while his sensational effort away at Manchester City sealed a 5-2 success at the eventual champions’ home.
Youri Tielemans
Few players are so vital to Brendan Rodgers’ free-flowing system as Youri Tielemans, who played an incredible 51 times across all competitions in 2020/21, including every Premier League fixture.
The most important of his 17 goals for the Club came at Wembley on 15 May, 2021 as his sweetly struck shot arrowed into the top corner and crowned Leicester City as FA Cup winners for the very first time.
Signed permanently from AS Monaco in the summer of 2019, his first full season included an eight game record for the longest top-flight winning streak and the biggest-ever victory – 9-0 at Southampton.