Ritchie De Laet could collect Premier League and Championship winners' medal after playing for Leicester and Middlesbrough this season

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Ritchie De Laet might have missed out on Leicester City’s title celebrations, but the Belgian could land the consolation of a history-making double.

The 27-year-old will become the first player to pick up both a Premier League and Championship winners' medal in the same season if loan club Middlesbrough beat Brighton on Saturday and already-promoted Burnley lose at Charlton.

Either way, Aitor Karanka's Boro will be back in the top flight with a draw and De Laet would have played a key role. The defender joined the Teessiders in February and has been on the losing side just once in 10 appearances.

Ritchie De Laet played in 12 league games for Leicester City this season before joining Middlesbrough on loan

But without De Laet’s contribution Claudio Ranieri's Leicester would also still be waiting to be crowned English champions.

The former Manchester United man scored a decisive goal in September’s 3-2 win over Aston Villa and the Foxes were beaten only once in the 12 league matches in which he featured before falling out of favour.

De Laet, though, would have been as thrilled as anyone to see his parent club take the title on Monday night.

The defender joined the Teessiders in February and has been on the losing side just once in 10 appearances

‘It’s unbelievable, especially when you remember last year was all about fighting relegation,’ said De Laet, who joined from United in 2012 and was part of the Championship-winning team two years later.

‘It’s been four crazy years for me at Leicester. I’ll go back there at the end of the season and in the meantime I hope I can be part of another promotion-winning team here at Middlesbrough.’

De Laet made 26 appearances last year as Leicester pulled off their great escape from relegation, without which this season’s incredible title feat would not have been possible.

He could be the first player to pick up a Premier League and Championship winners' medal in the same season

And he has nothing but admiration for the team-mates he left behind in the East Midlands.

‘They are a team who play without fear. They go on to the pitch with the attitude that they won’t be beaten,’ he said recently.

‘Players such as Riyad Mahrez have come on so much. He joined Leicester in the year we got promoted and you could see he was special.

‘Last year he wasn’t playing every game but now he’s taking the Premier League by storm.

‘Then there’s Jamie Vardy - he’s just an incredible story. I’m just so happy for him. He’s one of the main reasons Leicester are where they are, and things have really worked out for him.’