Premier
League leaders Leicester will travel to third-placed Arsenal on Sunday looking
to strengthen their grip on the title
Arsenal host Leicester on
Sunday hoping to cut the Foxes' five-point lead at the top of the Barclays
Premier League.
Claudio Ranieri's Leicester have been the surprise success story
of the season with their modestly-priced squad currently outperforming rivals
with bigger reputations and price tags.
Here Press Association Sport compares the costs of the two teams'
starting line-ups in their last matches against Bournemouth and Manchester City
respectively, using figures which were reported for their moves at the time.
Arsenal
Petr Cech (£10m) - A genuine bargain when
signed from Chelsea in the summer, with his former Blues team-mate John Terry
estimating the Czech goalkeeper would earn them 12 to 15 points per season
Hector Bellerin (free) - Severed ties with
Barcelona's youth academy at the age of 16 and has now established himself at
right-back.
Gabriel (£11.2m) - The Brazilian
centre-back joined the Gunners from Villarreal in the 2015 January window. Has
started only nine of the team's 25 league games to date.
Laurent Koscielny (£10m) - A mainstay of the
Arsenal back four since joining from French club Lorient in 2010.
Nacho Monreal (£10m) - The Spanish left-back
joined in the closing hours of the January 2013 window. Has been involved in
all Arsenal's Premier League games so far.
Mathieu Flamini (free) - Rejoined Arsenal in the
summer of 2013 after being released by AC Milan. In his first spell he helped
the club win the 2005 FA Cup and reach the 2006 Champions League final.
Aaron Ramsey (£5m) - The Welshman's value
has soared since moving to north London from Cardiff as a teenager in 2008, and
he is set to be one of his country's key performers at Euro 2016.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£15m) - Injuries have disrupted
the England midfielder's season but he scored in the win at Bournemouth. Joined
from Southampton in 2011 at the age of 17.
Mesut Ozil (£42.4m) - Club record signing
when he joined from Real Madrid at the end of the summer 2013 window. The
German's supreme creativity has made him a contender for the Premier League's
player of the season prizes
Alexis Sanchez (£35m) - Back in the team after
a spell out with injury, the explosive Chilean was an expensive purchase from
Barcelona but he has almost certainly enhanced his price tag since moving to
England.
Olivier Giroud (£12m) - The French target man
has had his critics but provides a steady stream of goals and links up well
with the Arsenal midfield with his deft touches.
Total: £150.6m
Leicester City
Kasper Schmeichel (£1.25m) - The Dane moved to
Leicester from Leeds in the summer of 2011. Son of former Manchester United's
hugely successful number one Peter Schmeichel.
Danny Simpson (£2m) - The Manchester United
academy graduate has had his off-field problems but is finally hitting his
stride after joining the Foxes from QPR in the summer of 2014.
Wes Morgan (£1m) - Uncompromising
centre-back and one of the stars of Leicester's rise this season, who made the
short move from Nottingham Forest in the January 2012 window.
Robert Huth (£3m) - Played key part in
Leicester's successful survival fight after joining on loan initially last
February. The German made his move from Stoke permanent in the summer.
Christian Fuchs (free) - Brought in after his
contract with German side Schalke had ended.
Riyad Mahrez (£440,000) - A steal from Le Havre
in the January 2014 window, the Algerian has been consistently brilliant all
season
Danny Drinkwater (£1m) - Like Simpson a graduate
of United's academy, he joined directly from the Red Devils in 2012 after a
series of loan spells at other clubs. Could feature in the England squad for
next month's friendlies against Germany and Holland.
N'Golo Kante (£5.6m) - Strong in the tackle
and an intelligent user of the ball, he has been a revelation. Joined from Ligue
1 Caen last summer.
Marc Albrighton (free) - Let go by Aston Villa
in the summer of 2014, his crossing and set-piece delivery have been important
for the Foxes.
Shinji Okazaki (£7m) - The most costly member
of the XI, the Japan international joined from German side Mainz in the summer.
Jamie Vardy (£1m) - On course to star for
England at Euro 2016 after a hugely successful season, which included setting a
Premier League record by scoring in 11 consecutive games. He moved to Leicester
from Fleetwood in 2012.
Total: £22.29m
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