Melbourne City sign EPL winner Ritchie De Laet
Melbourne City have strengthened their rearguard by signing an English Premier League-winning defender who has also played for Manchester United and for his country, Belgium.
Former Leicester City full-back Richie De Laet has linked up again with his former coach, Warren Joyce (who gave him his professional debut as a 16-year-old at Royal Antwerp when Joyce coached the Belgian side) on a one-year loan deal from his current English Championship club Aston Villa.
The 29-year-old will be designated as City's second marquee player. While it is unusual to sign a defender as a marquee man, it is not unheard of in the A-League. Brisbane Roar employed former Socceroo skipper Craig Moore in that capacity, while Melbourne Victory also signed ex-Chile international Pablo Contreras in a marquee role.
De Laet was part of the Leicester squad that won the English Premier League in 2015-16, in one of the most astonishing boilovers in sporting history.
The Belgian - who joined Leicester having spent three years at Old Trafford playing largely in the reserves and under-23 teams - was with Leicester for the first half of that title-winning season before joining Middlesbrough on loan in the January transfer window of 2016.
He not only won a Premier League winner's medal for his efforts during the first half of that season with Leicester, but also earned a Championship promotion medal as Boro went up that year as runners-up behind Burnley.
De Laet made 47 Premier League appearances for Manchester United, Norwich City and Leicester City, in addition to two appearances for the Belgium national side, and 128 appearances in the English Championship.
Joyce believes his experience of playing at the highest level will help City's younger players develop.
“Ritchie's quality and versatility provides us with a number of options,'' he said of the defender who can play anywhere along the backline.
“I know Ritchie well having coached him before during my time in England and Belgium. He can play as a defender or across the midfield with quality on the ball to help link defence and attack.”
De Laet initially went to England to play at Stoke City before signing as a teenager for United, where he was coached in the youth system by Joyce. He made a handful of first-team appearances for the EPL powerhouse before moving on after three years.
In addition to his title win with Leicester he was an integral part of the Leicester City team that won the Championship title in the 2013-14 season and secured the club’s return to the Premier League in 2014, making 36 appearances and scoring two goals.
The following season in the EPL, De Laet made 26 appearances including Leicester’s thumping 5-3 win over former club, Manchester United.
“I’m excited to join a club like Melbourne City with big ambitions, that plays attractive football and
has a very strong coaching group, led by a coach I know well, Warren Joyce,” said De Laet.
“I enjoyed playing under Warren earlier in my career. He’s a coach that’s always looking help
improve players and demands hard work.
“I’m looking forward to getting out in front of the fans and helping contribute to the team this year.”