Leicester relied on EU free movement to sign Mahrez

As Leicester City secured the Premier League title, Riyad Mahrez had 17 goals and 11 assists to his name. But there’s precious little chance the French-born winger would have contributed to the Foxes’ football fairytale victory if EU free movement rules hadn’t allowed the club to sign him in 2014.

To play in UK leagues, footballers from outside the EU must appear regularly for a top 50 ranked national side. If they don’t make the grade, they may still be able to enter if their old club is in a top league and their new club is paying a hefty transfer fee.

But Mahrez, whose father is Algerian, made his Leicester debut in January 2014. That was four months before his first appearance in the Algerian national squad. He joined from Le Havre, a team in France’s second league. Leicester paid a transfer fee of only €450,000 (£350,000). The average transfer fee paid by Premier League clubs per player at the start of this season was just over £9 million, while Mahrez’s current market value has been estimated at £15 million.

In other words, it is most unlikely Mahrez would have been able to join Leicester if it hadn’t been for the EU’s free movement. After getting into the Algerian team, he could have come to Britain. But the Foxes, who were then in the Championship, wouldn’t have been able to compete for him against richer clubs.

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Leicester went on to top the Championship in 2014, aided by three goals from Mahrez. They then survived their nervy 2014/15 Premier League season, helped by another four Mahrez goals. And the Foxes wouldn’t have won the Premier League this season without Mahrez. Including assists, he has been responsible for more goals than teammate Jamie Vardy.

Brexiteers say EU free movement rules allow European players “of only average talent” to clog up mid-table Premier League and Football League squads. Their post-Brexit plan is to ramp up restrictions on EU players to match the criteria placed on non-EU players. If such a scheme had been in place two years ago, it would have denied British football the most exciting Premiership season in its 24-season history.

Edited by Hugo Dixon