5 players who went on strike to force a transfer

Modified Feb 07, 2018 14:45 GMT

Leicester City v Watford - Premier League — Riyad Mahrez is currently on strike at Leicester City, but he's not the first...

#5 Leonardo Ulloa at Leicester City, 2017

Leicester City v Norwich City - Premier League — Mahrez is following in the footsteps of Leonardo Ulloa by striking while at Leicester City

Riyad Mahrez isn’t the first Leicester player to go on strike to seek a move – his teammate Leonardo Ulloa attempted to do the same in January 2017, just months after helping the Foxes to their incredible Premier League title triumph in 2015/16.

In this case, Ulloa felt that he wasn’t receiving a fair chance at first-team football, having fallen behind not just Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki, but new signings Ahmed Musa and Islam Slimani in the pecking order.

Ulloa wanted a move to relegation-threatened Sunderland, but with Leicester going through a patch of poor form and looking likely to be in trouble themselves, manager Claudio Ranieri refused to allow the deal.

Ulloa then stated that he felt “betrayed” by Ranieri, and would never play for Leicester again. That wasn’t exactly the case, though, as Ranieri ended up being fired a few weeks later.

Ulloa returned to the Leicester squad in April under new boss Craig Shakespeare, but unfortunately for the Argentine, he didn’t seem to be any higher up the pecking order.

He played just four more times in 2016/17 and despite signing a new contract in the summer, found himself being sent on loan to former club Brighton when new Leicester boss Claude Puel felt he was surplus to requirements.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

Know More

Edited by Shambhu Ajith