Leicester City F.C. manager Claudio Ranieri has insisted Jamie Vardy will not be sold when the transfer window re-opens in January.
The England international, who joined Leicester from Fleetwood Town for a reported fee of £1 million in the summer of 2012, has scored nine goals in nine English Premier League matches for the Foxes this season, equaling the output of Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller in the Bundesliga, and Barcelona’s Neymar in La Liga.
“I hope he can continue,” Ranieri said. “He is a fantastic player for goals, but it’s not important to think about goals or not. It’s about how he plays for the team.
“We don’t sell him. He is very happy here and it’s too soon to talk about this. He will stay with us and nobody goes in January – not Riyad [Mahrez], not Jamie, not anyone.
“We want to improve and achieve our goal, and for that we need all our best players.
“It’s the first year Jamie has shown his attitude in the Premier League. He scored 16 in the Championship and now it’s the start of his learning in the top championship. If he can continue in this way, it will be fantastic.”
Leicester, who are scheduled to host Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium at the weekend, came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at Southampton last weekend.
After that match, Saints boss Ronald Koeman praised Leicester’s continuity and Ranieri agrees that this is one of the Foxes’ greatest strengths.
“I agree with Ronald and we must continue in this way,” Ranieri said. “Our strength is our good group spirit, with our fans. We are all involved and there is a good electricity between us.
“It is difficult for all teams against us. They can beat us but we can beat them. Crystal Palace is a very tough game because under Alan Pardew they have done fantastically. But we are ready.”
Ameobi joins Bolton
Bolton Wanderers have completed the signing of former Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi on a short-term deal despite manager Neil Lennon revealing he was unlikely to join about a week ago.
After weighing a move for Ameobi, 32, Lennon concluded the player’s qualities were too similar to Emile Heskey and Gary Madine.
But withWellington Silva (hamstring) and Zach Clough (shoulder) out injured, Lennon has decided to bring in the 32-year-old ahead of this weekend’s trip to Leeds United.
“We felt Shola was similar to Emile and Gary,” Lennon said last week.
“Although he did very, very good, finances are tight here so we want to make sure we’re spending the money on the right player.”
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