Both Stoke City and Leicester City struck transfer gold with German signing | OneFootball

Stoke City and Leicester City both found a hidden gem when they signed relatively unknown defender Robert Huth

When Robert Huth arrived in the Premier League as a teenager, few would have predicted the long-lasting impact that he would have on the league.

Signed by Chelsea in 2001 from Union Berlin, Huth was a powerful, no-nonsense centre back who did the defensive basics to an extremely high level.

While he played 42 times at Chelsea, winning two Premier Leagues, his impacts at Stoke City and Leicester City leave him as one of the most unexpected stars of the Premier League era, and a title winner in Leicester's historic 2015/16 triumph.

A proper 'Stoke' player

At Stoke City, Huth became a fan favourite for his uncompromising style of play, which became a trademark of Tony Pulis' side at the time.

Signed by Pulis in 2009 for a then club-record fee of £5 million, the German quickly became a key part of the Potters' robust back line.

He managed to chip in with crucial goals as well, including a brace against Sunderland which included a 90th minute winner in a 3-2 victory.

His presence became key as Stoke enjoyed a sustained run in the Premier League as well as reaching the FA Cup final in 2011, being narrowly beaten by Manchester City at Wembley.

While the Potters deserve credit for giving Huth a chance, Leicester is the club with whom the German enjoyed the most success.

Huth's fairytale time at Leicester City

The term 'fairytale' is often overused in football and can sometimes become a bit of a cliche, but if anything epitomises the word more than anything, it was Leicester City's title-winning 2015/16 season.

Huth joined the Foxes initially on loan for the end of the 2014/15 season and helped Nigel Pearson's side to one of the most miraculous escapes from relegation. They won seven of their last nine games to secure survival, becoming only the third team ever to stay up after being bottom at Christmas.

After his move was made permanent that summer, no one could have expected what was to come.

Leicester pulled off one of the most remarkable shocks in Premier League history when they overcame 5000/1 odds to win the title.

Huth was a colossus at the heart of Leicester’s backline, forming a formidable partnership with Wes Morgan.

Together, they embodied the grit and resilience that defined Leicester's title win.

The German played 35 of 38 league games that season, scoring crucial goals at times, including a brace in the 3-1 win over Manchester City at the Etihad, which many would say was the moment the football world began to truly believe in the Foxes’ title credentials.

Retiring in 2018, Robert Huth may not have had the flair of some of his compatriots, but few German exports have had such a profound impact on English football.

Both Stoke City and Leicester City will remember him not just as a great signing, but as a pivotal figure in two of the most memorable chapters in their respective histories.