Since their promotion in 2014, one player has been synonymous with Leicester City in the Premier League: Jamie Vardy. From his first PL goal against Manchester United, to that goal against West Brom to ensure Leicester’s great escape. From ‘it’s eleven, it’s heaven for Jamie Vardy’, to lifting the title with the Foxes. Oh, add to that his audacious chip against Bournemouth, joining the prestigious 100 club, a golden boot, and the small matter of an FA Cup winners medal, Jamie Vardy really has done it all.
Season after season, pundits far and wide have written him off. Excuses of his age, claiming his pace will fail him soon. And yet, Jamie Vardy is still breaking records.
The striker made his long-awaited return from injury on Tuesday as he came off the bench to guide Leicester to their first Premier League win of 2022. Vardy made an immediate impact: constantly threatening to break Burnley’s offside trap with his darting runs.
His assist to Maddison’s gorgeous strike was typical of the No.9; proving to be the only player switched on enough to beat Burnley’s line and collect Kasper Schmeichel’s clearance, laying the ball to Maddison to do the rest: putting the Foxes 1-0 up in a tight contest.
Vardy wasn’t content with that though, and, after another darting run by the brilliant Harvey Barnes, Vardy’s positional prowess was on full show again as he met the winger’s perfect cross to head the ball into an empty net. It sealed a perfect night for City as they won 2-0 with their first away clean sheet since September’s Carabao Cup win at Millwall.
For Vardy though, it marked yet another milestone in his fantastic career as he broke Ian Wright’s record for the most Premier League goals scored past the age of 30. His goal on Tuesday was his 94th since turning 30, an utterly incredible feat considering that Vardy made his PL debut at the age of 28.
His goal also put him 1 ahead of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to make him the out-right 14th highest goal scorer in Premier League history, scoring 128 since his debut. Remarkably this also means that Vardy is only 22 goals away from 150 in England’s top-flight, something that has only been achieved by 10 players in the competition’s history. With Vards’ determination and Benjamin Button-esque ability to never show his age, that is a tally that he is almost certain to equal, if not best.
Speaking to the media after Vardy’s goal-scoring return, manager Brendan Rodgers was elated, saying:
"‘It tells you everything, I’m so happy he could be involved. ‘The thinking was more that it was going to be Leeds (on Saturday) but in the last few days he looked really bright, really sharp and he wanted to come and help the team even if it was only for 15-20 minutes, and that tells you everything about his attitude. ‘Then there’s his energy, he’s a real catalyst for us. You see his movement behind, his link-up play and then he’s always in position to score. It was a great introduction for him and it was great to have him back.’ Brendan Rodgers via the Daily Mail"
A future without Jamie Vardy for Leicester City
Vardy’s latest feat is a fantastic reminder to both Leicester fans, and football fans in general, as to how important his is to the club. When he plays, City offer so much more. He is a nightmare for defenders, and his face has haunted many a fan base.
Whilst he is still putting in the numbers as each season goes by – Vardy currently has 12 goals in 23 games this season – his age cannot be ignored. He is 35 now, and will be 36 when his current deal expires in 2023.
If Vardy keeps performing to his current level, and even if he falls off ever so slightly, then a new contract will come his way shortly. My prediction would be a 2-year extension which would take him to 2025, by which time he would be 38 and facing retirement, or a transfer to a new club.
I’ve always had a feeling that Vardy will want to end his career by playing for his boyhood team, Sheffield Wednesday, rather than retiring at Leicester. If he does extend his stay at City, he will become more of a squad player and an impact sub – much like he was on Tuesday – rather than a consistent starter. All this will culminate in a Leicester City without the No.9.
Before last season, a future without Vardy was terrifying for the Foxes faithful, however, the summer addition of Patson Daka has given fans a glimpse as to how the attack will look without the former England international. Daka currently has 10 goals in 25 appearances, including 6 goals in 7 appearances in Europe.
During his time at RB Salzburg, Daka managed a stunning 68 goals in 125 games for the Austrian giants. The Premier League is clearly a step up for the Zambian, but his return is still impressive for a 23-year-old making the jump. He still has a lot to learn, specifically when to make runs and when to want to ball at his feet, but Daka’s ruthlessness in front of goal has provided real confidence in his ability to lead the line for the Foxes.
Elsewhere, Kelechi Iheanacho’s career revival last season highlighted just what he can add to City, however he isn’t the traditional striker, nor a straightforward substitute for Vardy. Iheanacho plays best as a support striker, rather than leading the line on his own. His link up play with Daka was devastating when they beat Spartak Moscow 4-3 in the Russian capital earlier this season, and his goal scoring exploits last season were aided by the presence of Vardy beside him.
To get Iheanacho fully firing, they need to change their whole system, something that Rodger’s clearly hasn’t been in favour of as seen by how little game time he has been afforded all season.
For the last few years, the recruitment team has been planning for the long-term future as to who Vardy’s successor will be. Sticking with Iheanacho and Daka is what I would recommend, and to utilise the time Vardy has with them to teach them how best to lead the Leicester line.
My recommendation is, when Vardy does depart, that City should sign an experienced striker to add an option, and also to continue the mentoring of Daka – much like Milan have signed Giroud and Ibrahimovic to help with Rebic and Leao’s development , or how Inter signed Edin Dzeko as Lautaro Martinez continues to grow.
Either way, this is for the future. For now, Leicester fans should cherish every moment they get with Vardy on the pitch. He is a living legend in Leicestershire, someone who will be talked about by generations to come. The future can wait, Jamie Vardy continues to break records and opposition hearts; he shows no sign of stopping just yet.