Leicester City must always thank Aston Villa for free transfer gold | OneFootball

Marc Albrighton was a class act for Leicester City after being released by Aston Villa

Aston Villa and Leicester City have both endured mixed fortunes in the transfer market over recent years, but the Villa Park club were left envious of the Premier League title-winning squad that the Foxes compiled ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

Leicester shocked the sporting world when they won the top-flight title in 2016, finishing a remarkable 10 points clear of second-place Arsenal.

The Foxes' historic Premier League triumph was a tough pill for fellow Midlands club Villa to swallow, though, as they finished rock-bottom of the top flight that term, suffering relegation to the Championship alongside Norwich City and Newcastle United.

Villa have reclaimed the bragging rights over Leicester in recent seasons, having reached the Champions League quarter-finals in the 2024/25 campaign, whereas the King Power Stadium club were relegated to the second tier that term.

Marc Albrighton became a Leicester City legend following Aston Villa release

Leicester's proudest achievements in modern times were their aforementioned Premier League title win in 2016, their FA Cup triumph five years later, and their Championship title success in 2024.

Most supporters will heavily associate former England striker Jamie Vardy with all of those successes, but another player who was involved in all three was ex-winger Marc Albrighton.

The former Villa man was never as much of a success in the West Midlands as he was in the East Midlands, and was released by his first club before joining the Foxes on a free transfer in the summer of 2014.

Albrighton's competitive Villa debut came all the way back in 2009, and he enjoyed regular game time in both the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns.

In fact, the winger's return of six goals and six assists across all competitions in the 2010/11 season was his career-best tally.

However, by autumn 2013, he had fallen out of favour at Villa Park, and endured a brief loan stint with Wigan Athletic, where he made four Championship appearances.

After spending less than a month with the Latics, Albrighton returned to the West Midlands, and made 20 appearances before being released in the summer of 2014.

When the winger left Villa, he received their well-wishes, as then manager Paul Lambert told the club website: "We wish Marc the best in his future career and acknowledge the contribution he has made to the club over the past several years, having graduated from our academy."

However, Leicester had no idea that their free transfer signing would go on to play a vital role in the richest chapter of their history.

Albrighton's first season in Foxes colours was particularly dramatic, as he played his part in a great escape effort that saw the East Midlands outfit avoid relegation from the Premier League by winning seven of their last nine top-flight games.

He notched two goals and three assists in 18 league fixtures that term, and his most memorable contribution was the goal he scored in a 5-1 triumph over Queens Park Rangers in May 2015.

Albrighton demonstrated his admirable work ethic during Leicester's remarkable winning run at the end of the 2014/15 season, as he played in the wing-back position in a system that proved vital to their survival under Nigel Pearson.

Despite keeping the Foxes in the Premier League, Pearson was sacked in the summer of 2015, but his successor, Claudio Ranieri, went on to establish legendary status.

Ranieri, of course, was the mastermind behind Leicester's Premier League title triumph, and Albrighton featured in all 38 of their top-flight games that season.

He scored two goals and produced six assists in the 2015/16 top-flight season, earning fewer plaudits than the likes of Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, but there is no doubt he was invaluable.

The former Villa man got himself on the scoresheet in Leicester's opening day victory over Sunderland that campaign, but no supporters would have believed that result would set the tone for the title-clinching efforts that followed.

Albrighton remained a reliable asset for the Foxes in the seasons that followed, notably scoring two Champions League goals in their 2016/17 run to the quarter-finals.

He went on to play a part in their 2020/21 FA Cup triumph, scoring in their third round victory over Stoke City, and featuring as a substitute in their final win over Chelsea.

Albrighton spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan with West Bromwich Albion, but his Leicester career still had one more piece of silverware to come.

The winger retired from football in the summer of 2024, having helped the Foxes win the Championship title, and his longevity and trophy wins will never be forgotten by the King Power Stadium faithful.

Aston Villa will be envious of what Marc Albrighton achieved at Leicester City

Albrighton was a good servant for Villa, making over 100 appearances for them before he joined Leicester, but the West Midlands club never won silverware with him among their ranks.

Therefore, they will always be envious of the fact that the winger went on to win both the Premier League and the FA Cup with the Foxes, and will especially regret the fact that they didn't recoup a transfer fee for such exploits.

On the other hand, Leicester will always be grateful that Villa's decision allowed them to acquire an eventual club legend for free.