Ranieri: Not many teams can buy Vardy now

Sarah Winterburn

Claudio Ranieri says Jamie Vardy is happy at Leicester despite links to Tottenham and Liverpool.

Vardy only signed a new four-year contract in 2014 but has since become hot property after his stunning start to the season.

He scored in his seventh straight Premier League game in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and has also forced his way into the England squad.

But Ranieri is content with the striker’s situation despite the speculation surrounding him.

He said: “He is happy with us, he’s happy with his contract and that’s important. Maybe (we’ll look at it) at the end of the season, with a lot of goals scored.

“Speculation is good because football is speculation but it’s important me and my players are very focused about the pitch.

“Not many teams can buy him now. He is very happy here and we don’t want to sell him, it’s clear. When I look at him he feels good and that’s important.”

The Foxes go to Hull in the Capital One Cup fourth round on Tuesday with Vardy set to be rested to keep him fresh Leicester’s league campaign.

They have lost just once this season to sit fifth in the table while Ranieri also wants success in the Cups.

He took Chelsea to the FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium, losing to Arsenal in 2002, but has never managed at Wembley as the stadium was being rebuilt during his last spell in England.

And the Italian admitted it was a huge ambition of his to manage at Wembley.

He said: “It’s a good dream. I think it’s important to put some dreams forward and then fight to achieve this.

“I would like to go to Wembley because when I arrived in the final of the FA Cup Wembley was being refurbished and we were in Cardiff. Of course I would like to go but there are more steps to go.

“It’s not an easy match against Hull. They want to go back to the Premier League.”