“I wasn’t interested” – Clubless defender reveals how he snubbed Leicester, Foxes ‘were not that special’

Dutch defender Ricardo van Rhijn has admitted he turned down a move to Leicester City, only to see them win the Premier League the following year.

The 31-year-old has been speaking to ESPN, relayed by Voetbal Primeur, about his career so far and how it could have ended up with him in the Premier League with Leicester.

He has enjoyed a varied career so far, starting his career at Ajax Youth and working his way up their various youth ranks before moving into the first team in 2012.

He made 163 appearances for the Dutch giants after that before moving to Club Brugge in a €1.8m deal in July 2016.

He lasted just two years at the Belgian side, with a loan spell at AZ Alkmaar in between, before going to the Dutch side on a permanent basis before moves to Heerenveen, FC Emmen and Karlsruher SC.

He left the German side on a free transfer last summer and is yet to find a new club, leading him to reflect on what might have been, including his decision to reject Leicester.

“Of course, they played the Premier League, but they were not that special at the time,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say that I had played a lot there myself and won the Premier League, but it was funny because I was also talking to Galatasaray at time, but I thought with Leicester, look it up and I wasn’t interested.

“I was just not that keen on Leicester. Then you see that they become champions a year later. That is really incredible, because they have remained steady for years afterwards.”