Jamie Vardy's record is under threat from free-scoring Joe Allen

Stoke City goal machine Joe Allen scored his fifth goal in four games on Saturday afternoon, giving his side the lead against fellow Premier League strugglers Sunderland, and scoring his second before half-time.

Only last week, Allen had scored with a sumptuous strike for Wales in their draw against Austria in Vienna, coming just days after his late equaliser against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Prior to that, he'd also scored in the 1-1 draw with West Brom on September 24.

His goal-scoring in the Premier League means he's on course to overtake the record Jamie Vardy set last on the way to firing Leicester to the title last season. Vardy scored in 11 straight top flight matches in the last campaign, overtaking the previous record set by former Manchester United striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Goals in the next nine league matches for Mark Hughes' side will be enough to take the record away from the England international, and would almost certainly have Hollywood scriptwriters sniffing around with a view to turning Allen's feat into a big screen hit.

The Welshman, who inspired former Juventus and AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo's nickname of 'The Italian Joe Allen', moved to Stoke from Liverpool in the summer.

And very soon, he too could be having a party, and will be going for his hat-trick in the second-half.

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KANTE BELIEVE IT Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri admits ‘mistake’ over Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante after revealing he expected title-winner to stay

Key man left for Stamford Bridge after Premier League glory but Ranieri has still managed to keep rest of his stars

CLAUDIO RANIERI thought he would keep his Magnificent Seven this season — until N’Golo Kante rode off into the sunset.

The Leicester boss tied up Riyad Mahrez on a new four-year deal this week.

Leicester thought they would be able to keep N’Golo Kante this summer

The midfield ace was snapped up by Chelsea for £30million

And he reckons England ace Danny Drinkwater will be the next of his ‘wanted men’ to commit to the club.

That flies in the face of speculation which made it seem inevitable Ranieri’s prize-winning posse would go their separate ways when the dust had settled on last season’s title win.

But the resilient Foxes have signed up Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, skipper Wes Morgan, Andy King and now Mahrez — with Drinkwater on the brink of making it six of the best.

Ranieri had the satisfaction of seeing Vardy and Mahrez snub Arsenal’s advances.

Ranieri admits he misread the situation with Kante

Riyad Mahrez has become the latest star to sign a new Foxes deal

Yet Leicester’s head honcho admits he made one ‘mistake’ in failing to spot £29million Kante was ready to go south to join a rival gang in Chelsea.

Ranieri said: “When a team plays so well and achieves something so special, it was normal other managers would look at my players.

“Riyad, Jamie, everybody — not only English managers, also managers around the world were looking at them. Of course I am pleased Mahrez has decided to stay but I was so sure that it was only speculation.

“We spoke together last season and we spoke again in pre-season. Each time he told me he was very happy to stay here. He signed for four years and if a man signs for four years he wants to stay.

“I also signed for four years because I want to build something here and so does Jamie Vardy, Drinky, Kasper Schmeichel, the captain Wes Morgan, everybody.

“I thought everybody wanted to stay with Leicester and continue to fight. But I made a mistake. One did want to go — Kante is finished with us and he has gone.”

Jamie Vardy rejected Arsenal to continue at the King Power Stadium

Danny Drinkwater is expected to commit his future to the champions soon

Having lost the energetic Frenchman, the Italian is more determined than ever to keep his midfield partner Drinkwater.

The former Manchester United star has two years of his deal to run.

But, as he prepared to lock horns with Arsenal in tomorrow’s showdown between last season’s top two, Ranieri made it clear he has no fears Drinkwater has any desire to follow Kante out of the door.

Ranieri added: “Drinky is very, very close I am very happy with him, he had a fantastic season and I am sure he can still improve.

“He has more confidence after last season. It is the only year he has played all the matches, when available. He can increase his career here.”

Iceland's Kari Arnason first met Jamie Vardy in England’s lower leagues

Jamie Vardy doesn’t have a monopoly on football fairytales.

Iceland defied their lack of tournament experience and a population of just 330,000 to reach the last-16 and set up tonight’s clash with England courtesy of a host of players performing beyond their reputation.

When Vardy was climbing aboard a juggernaut to stardom by trading the modest environs of Fleetwood Town for Leicester City in the summer of 2012, Kari Arnason left Aberdeen for Rotherham United.

Arnason, previously of Aarhus and Plymouth Argyle, spent three years in south Yorkshire — gaining two promotions in successive seasons — before joining Malmo.

The 33-year-old earned his 50th cap in last Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Austria, when he also named man of the match award after a heroic display as the lynchpin of Iceland’s rearguard action. They have Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, Udinese’s Emil Hallfredsson and Cardiff’s Aron Gunnarsson among their ranks but Arnason’s lower-league journey is more typical of Iceland’s squad.

It is one reason why Vardy’s past resonates with Arnason, who frequented England’s lower leagues at precisely the same time. “The teams I played for never went very far in the cups but I think I might have played against Vardy a couple of times in the lower leagues,” Arnason told Standard Sport. “It’s the ultimate Cinderella story and I’m delighted for him. It’s incredible. He is a brilliant finisher and absolutely grease lightening. We will have to find a solution to deal with that.”

Vardy is not expected to start but England are still overwhelming favourites to progress and Arnason added: “Every game from now on is going to be the biggest one in Iceland’s history. It is incredible we are now meeting England in the last 16. 

“It is something we dreamed of before the game. If we put a performance in like we have done in this tournament, we have an opportunity.”

Arsenal transfer news: Jamie Vardy triggers more Leicester raids

After poaching striker, the Gunners are also after N'Golo Kane and Riyad Mahrez - latest Arsenal transfer news and gossip.

No doubt about the shock transfer story of the weekend - the news that Arsenal have activated the £20m release clause in Jamie Vardy's contract with champions Leicester. 

The media have spent the weekend agog at the news that the Gunners have made the move and are confident the deal will go through. According to the Daily ExpressArsenal "have offered the England star a £120,000-a-week deal" and the paper predicts the 29-year-old will swap the King Power Stadium for the Emirates after the European Championships. 

Current Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud gave a strong indication that the deal is going ahead, telling reporters at the weekend: "I think it's [Vardy's capture] very beneficial to the club. Hopefully he's going to score lots of goals like he has for Leicester."

But hold your horses (or should that be foxes?). According to the Daily TelegraphLeicester "are expected to make a counter contract offer" to Vardy this week. The paper doesn't provide many details on what offer the Premier League champs will table, but it appears that they intend to fight for their goal-scoring machine.

And might N'Golo Kante follow his Leicester teammate to Arsenal? The Daily Mirror believes that's a distinct possibility with the paper claiming that the Gunners are ready to activate the French midfielder's release clause. 

Coincidentally it's the same amount as Vardy's, and it's reported that Arsenal will win the race to Kante's signature ahead of Paris Saint-Germain. Asked at the weekend about his future, the 25-year-old playmaker hardly gave a ringing endorsement to Leicester, replying: "For now, I have not taken a decision even if I have been made offers... I will decide my future after the Euros.”

Then again, if The Sun is to be believed, Arsenal "are in talks" not with Kante but Riyad Mahrez and are edging closer to signing Leicester's Algerian winger. Claiming that Vardy has already has his Arsenal medical at their London Colny training ground, the paper says that the north London outfit are after Mahrez in a swoop that will signal "Theo Walcott's future at the Emirates is all-but over".

And there's more good news for Gooners with Metro's report that Arsene Wenger is "winning the £20m race" to sign Dortmund star Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The Armenian ace is described by the paper as "one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe" and apparently the failure of Chelsea to qualify for next season's Champions League has tipped the scales in Arsenal's favour. Dortmund have tried to tempt the 27-year-old with a new deal but it seems that Mkhitaryan has made up his mind to join Arsenal.

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Arsenal transfer news: Is Barcelona Bellerin claim genuine?

3 June

Gunners fans could be forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief after Barcelona denied that they have any interest in signing Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin this summer, reports the Daily Express.

The paper, taking its cue from Spanish rag Mundo Deportivo, says that the Catalan giants have moved to quash speculation that they are preparing to lure the 21-year-old right away from the Emirates and back to the club where he started his career.

In conversation with Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona's sporting director Robert Fernandez batted away rumours the club are interested in signing Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin - for the time being, at least. "I haven't raised [Bellerin] at this point," said Fernandez. "He's a player who we know because he grew up here but at this time I'm not raising anything in this regard."

But can the Gunners really relax? The rather half-hearted denial might not assuage the fears of Arsenal supporters who remember the game of cat and mouse a few years ago when they began making eyes at Cesc Fabregas.

What's more, the Express points out that Barcelona are "on the lookout or a new right-back" after Dani Alves' confirmed he was joining Italian champions Juventus, and Bellerin, like Fabregas, came through the ranks at the Camp Nou.

Arsenal transfer news: Girlfriend casts doubt on Morata deal

02 June

The future of Alvaro Morata remains uncertain with conflicting reports on where the 23-year-old striker will be shooting for goal next season.

Rumours have been growing in recent days that Arsenal are poised to table a record bid for the Juventus marksman and, according to the Daily Star, most bookmakers "reckon Morata will sign for Arsenal".

That's the good news for the Gunners, who are aware of the interest of Manchester United in the Spaniard, but the bad news come in the pages of theLondon Evening Standard, which claims that while Morata has indeed received "tempting" offers from at least one Premier League club, his girlfriend has suggested he may turn them down and remain in Italy. In conversation with Italian magazine Chi Alice Campello declared: "I'm not so sure that Alvaro will leave Turin."

One thing is clear, and that is that Real Madrid are determined to make a tidy profit on the Spaniard. The Champions League winners sold him to Juventus for around £15m in 2014 but inserted a clause that allows them to get him back for a fee of £23m. They will activate that clause this summer, reports Talksport, and have told Arsenal that he will then be made available for £50m.

Another bright young thing said to be on Arsenal's radar is Gabigol, the 19-year-old Brazilian "set to take the Copa America by storm". That's The Sun's claim, at least, with the paper reporting that the Gunners, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are all chasing the Santos forward who will take the place of the injured Neymar in the upcoming Copa America.

The Sun says that Gabigol has a £40m release clause which, while a hefty sum for one so young, could net one lucky club a "team-changing star."

Arsenal transfer news: West Ham lead race to sign Umtiti

1 June

"Stunned" is the word used by the Daily Express to describe Arsenal's reaction to news that West Ham have nosed ahead of them in the chase for Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti.

The 22-year-old has been called into France's Euro 2016 squad after the withdrawal through injury Jeremy Mathieu, and it seems Hammers fans could be seeing a lot more of Umtiti next season. According to the Express West Ham "are now leading the charge for his signature this summer" with boss Slaven Bilic ready to outbid both Arsenal and Tottenham for the highly-rated blocker.

Better news for Arsenal fans at Talksport, however, as it reports - courtesy of German rag Bild - that Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has "snubbed the chance" to extend his contract with the Bundesliga outfit. The rejection has fuelled speculation that the 27-year-old, who scored 23 goals last season, is poised to join Arsenal this month.

Talksport says the Gunners "have been tracking the attacking midfielder since January" with Arsene Wenger known to be a fan of Mkhitaryan's. With the Armenian ace refusing to pen a new deal to the current contract that expires in a year. Bild says Dortmund may have to sell him in the coming weeks or see him leave on a free next summer.

There's a "north London transfer battle" brewing, says the Daily Star with the paper claiming that Arsenal and Tottenham are set to square up over Ajax starlet Riechedly Bazoer. The 19-year-old is described by the Star as "among the most sought-after young prospects in Europe" and the Dutch midfielder was scouted in person by Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino during Holland's friendly with the Republic of Ireland last Friday. Arsene Wenger has also been tracking the teenage sensation and a bidding war could break out later this month.

Arsenal transfer news: Kante hint as Bellerin battle hots up

31 May

Leicester City's French enforcer N'Golo Kante has hinted that he could be open to a move to the Emirates after Euro 2016, claims the Daily Telegraph after poring over an interview the 25-year-old gave to French paper L'Equipe.

When asked about his future the midfielder said: "For now, I am happy at Leicester. I do not pay too much attention to everything that is said... I am in Leicester and I focus on the Euros."

The words "for now" are of most interest, says the Telegraph, and will give hope to the Gunners that they can land the Paris-born magician who arrived at Leicester in a £5.6m deal from Caen last year. Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have been linked with Kante, who is in the France squad for next month's Euro Championships, but he said earlier in the season that he wants to stay in England.

Meanwhile the Daily Mirror reports that Arsenal have "repelled Barcelona’s interest in Hector Bellerín". But again the words "for now" are in evidence, with the paper saying that the Catalan club will likely come again for the 21-year-old defender.

With Dani Alves having agreed a three-year deal with Juventus over the weekend, Barca are desperate to replace the 33-year-old Brazilian international. According to Barcelona rag, Sport, the Spanish giants contacted Arsenal last week but were told in no uncertain terms that Bellerin is not for sale "at any price".

The International Business Times claims that Arsenal are "considering an approach" for Inter Milan centre-back Jeison Murillo. The 24-year-old Colombian was a rock in the Italian club's defence last season and according to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Gunners are planning to table an offer in the coming weeks. Murillo only moved to Inter from Granada 18 months ago for a reported fee of £6m but IBT claims Inter are "willing to part ways" with Murillo should a club offer them £19m. Leicester and Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg are also in the hunt but sources in the Italian media say the Gunners have their noses in front.

Finally the Daily Star reports that Arsenal target Alvaro Morata has been discussing his future with Spanish rag AS. The 23-year-old striker, who has also been linked with Chelsea and Manchester United in recent weeks, is currently with Juventus but Real Madrid have a buy-back option which, says the Star, they are likely to activate before selling him at a big profit over the summer. Asked by AS what the future holds, Morata replied: "There are some offers from England that are tempting, not only by the contract. I think for my characteristics the Premier League would also be a great destination."

Arsenal transfer news: Barcelona in contact with Hector Bellerin 

27 May

With Dani Alves on his way out of Barcelona (possibly to Liverpool), the London Evening Standard claims that the Catalan club have already identified Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin as "their top target" to replace the 33-year-old Brazilian defender, raising the prospect of yet another acrimonious transfer wrangle between the two clubs. 

According to the paper Barca coach Luis Enrique hasn't been impressed by the performances of Aleix Vidal since he arrived at the club 12 months ago. Bellerin, on the other hand, has caught the eye of Enrique and he believes the fact the 21-year-old Spaniard came through Barcelona's youth system will make it easier to lure him back to the club. Reports in Spain suggest that Barca "attempted to make contact with Bellerin's representatives a month ago" and will look to pursue their prey in the coming weeks.

Sticking with Barca, Spanish rag Mundo Deportivo says Arsenal are edging ahead of Manchester United in the tussle to sign Javier Mascherano this summer. The 31-year-old Barcelona midfielder has two years to run on his contract but its said that Luis Enrique is ready to let him go early if they receive an offer to match his exorbitant £76m release clause. 

The former Liverpool playmaker has also received enquiries from China but Mascherano believes he's still got a couple more years of European gas in his tank and favours Arsenal over United because of their Champions League credentials.

Whether the ever-parsimonious Wenger is prepared to shatter the Gunners' transfer record for a 31-year-old defender remains to be seen.

Arsenal transfer news: Mesut Ozil calls off contract talks

26 May

Arsenal fans celebrating the arrival of Granit Xhaka yesterday will have been stopped in their tracks by the news that Mesut Ozil has postponed contract talks and told the club he is unwilling to discuss a new deal until after the European Championship finals.

His decision is an indication of "a wish to keep his options open", says The Times, and leaves Gunners fretting over the future of their star man. It also increases the pressure on manager Arsene Wenger to make some significant new signings this summer.

Ozil also put contract talks on hold earlier in the season in order to concentrate on the Gunner's doomed Premier League title campaign.

He is "not agitating for a move", says the Times, "but is aware that there is interest in him from clubs all over Europe and does not want to be rushed into signing what could be his last contract while at the peak of his game".

Arsenal are prepared to pay the 27-year-old German £200,000-a-week, but Ozil is more concerned about "competing for the biggest trophies after winning just two FA Cups in his three years at Arsenal to date".

It means that Wenger is being "made to sweat" over the midfielder's future and that of Alexis Sanchez, says Metro. The Chilean winger has also delayed talks over a new deal.

However, the manager will continue to work on strengthening his squad, says the Daily Mirror, and is set to "carry on spending" this summer.

His priorities are a centre-back and a striker, adds the paper, which reports that Wenger is keen on Napoli's Senegalese international defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who has also been linked to Chelsea.

"The Gunners have also identified Juventus forward Alvaro Morata as their number one striker target this summer and are preparing to take their spending this close-season towards the £80m mark."

Arsenal transfer news: Alvaro Morata ready to quit Juventus 

24 April

As hints go, they don't come any bigger than the one dropped by Alvaro Morato, says The Sun, which reports that the striker has made it clear he is about to leave Juventus by posing for a photo with the caption 'Adios amigo', hours after he scored the extra-time cup final winner as Juventus become the first to win Italy's domestic double two years in a row.

The snap, uploaded onto Instagram, fuels the rumours that the 23-year-old Spanish striker is poised to leave Turin for the Emirates. Arsenal have long been linked with Morato and reports last week in Corriere dello Sport suggested that the Gunners "have already bid a massive £51m for his services".

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to pay the sharpshooter £155,000-a-week in order to put some bite into the Gunners frontline, but the Sun says that the dismissal of Louis van Gaal could bring Manchester United into the equation with the Red Devils rumoured to be ready to table a bid.

Meanwhile French broadcaster RMC Sport has claimed that Arsenal are circling Bayern Munich defender Medhi Benatia. Apparently the Morocco international is "Wenger's top target" when it comes to defenders and the French gaffer is ready to see off competition from Chelsea to land Benatia over the summer.

Jamie Vardy and Leicester City teammates take on Football Manager's stats challenge - and do VERY well

By and large, Football Manager has had a very big impact on most football fans' lives.

Whether it's gifted them with an encyclopedic knowledge of wonderkids like Cherno Samba and Alessandro Simonetta or a passion for clubs like Blyth Spartans and a glimpse into the footballing future 1,000 years from now , it's influence is unrivalled.

Specifically, it's famed for the accuracy of its player stats, which ranks every attribute from acceleration to eccentricity between 1-20. Even Everton signed a deal with the developers back in 2008 to use the database as a genuine scouting tool. No, really!

Putting that theory to the test are Leicester City's Danny Simpson, Andy King and Jamie Vardy - as you can see in the video above. They're given seven Leicester City players' stats and have to guess who it is.

For example, could you work out who this is?

Answers on a postcard, please. And, in what could be Jamie Vardy's last-ever act as a Foxes player before his proposed move to Arsenal , they do VERY well.

Leicester star Jamie Vardy insists Foxes aren't feeling the pressure as title race hots up

The striker was suspended for Sunday's win over Swansea but wasn't missed as he watched his teammates smash four past the Swans

Jamie Vardy has insisted Leicester’s players are enjoying a “fairground ride” and are not feeling the title pressure.

The Foxes defied suggestions that they would struggle without the suspended 22-goal striker with a resounding 4-0 win over Swansea.

Vardy, speaking at the PFA awards, said: “All the lads will say the same.

“Its like a fairground ride and we are just enjoying ourselves and we will keep enjoying ourselves for the last few games. There are no nerves at all.”

Asked for his thoughts on the magnitude of Sunday’s win, which took Claudio Ranieri’s side eight points clear at the top, Vardy added: “It was massive.

The striker was suspended for the visit of Swansea after being sent off against West Ham

“The press were saying for some reason that Leicester were a one-man team. Its completely the opposite. We are a complete team and we will fight for each other all the way.

“I was nervous. I hate watching. Like I’ve said the lads have done absolutely brilliant and they deserved it.”

Speaking after receiving a PFA award for his goalscoring feats earlier in the season when he netted in 11 consecutive Premier League games, he said: "I’m over the moon. It is an honour to get an award like this.

"I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the team.

"You try not to think about it [the record], you hope a chance comes your way and I managed to put one away."

Paper Round: Jamie Vardy buyout clause revealed, Leicester scramble to keep N'Golo Kante

Premier League leaders Leicester City are in the news on Tuesday as they look to secure two key men in their unexpected title challenge. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola has met Manchester City to discuss two new targets, and there’s our contractually-obliged Saido Berahino update.

JAMIE VARDY HAS BUYOUT CLAUSE IN NEW CONTRACT

Anyone wanting to sign Jamie Vardy from Leicester will have to meet the striker’s £30m buyout clause, according to The Times. Last month the 29-year-old penned a new three-and-a-half-year deal to stay at the King Power Stadium, and the report claims the club inserted a steep buyout clause. Vardy reportedly did not push for the inclusion of the clause in his contract, and is keen to stay at the club.

Paper Round’s view: Vardy has been electric this season – but £30m for a 29-year-old is a steep fee indeed. There is no doubting Vardy’s contribution to Leicester’s title charge, but he has now scored just four goals in his last 14 appearances and the biggest clubs may doubt whether he possesses genuine top-level quality. What’s more, with Leicester set for Champions League football, there seems little incentive to join Chelsea or Manchester United, who are set to miss out on the top four. All told, it’s hard to see anyone triggering the clause – and if they do, Vardy may yet decide to stay.

LEICESTER BID TO SEE OFF CHELSEA AND ARSENAL WITH NEW KANTE DEAL

Still with Leicester, City are set to offer N’Golo Kante a big new contract to ward off interest from Arsenal – according to the Mirror. Kante, 24, has been brilliant since joining Leicester from Caen for £5.6m last summer. The Frenchman is now rated at over £20m after playing a key role in Leicester’s stunning title challenge, but Leicester are desperate to keep the midfielder as they prepare for a likely tilt at the Champions League next season.

Paper Round’s view: Clearly Leicester will face a struggle to keep their key men in the summer, with Kante and Riyad Mahrez high on many clubs’ shopping list. It’s entirely normal for Leicester to try to tie Kante down to a long-term deal, and it will be interesting to see how they fare in keeping their best players. Given the double windfall of Champions League and increased Premier League money, plus the attraction of playing in the continent’s top club competition, they should be fairly well-equipped to keep the sharks at bay.

GUARDIOLA MEETS CITY CHIEF OVER BAZOER AND WILLIAMS

Pep Guardiola met with Manchester City officials in Amsterdam yesterday for what the Daily Mirror dubs “a secret transfer summit” – meeting director of football Txiki Begiristain at the same hotel. The Mirror claims City’s two main Dutch-based targets are £24m-rated Ajax midfielder Riechedly Bazoer and PSV’s Dutch left-back Jetro Williams, valued at £15m.

Paper Round’s view: Another day, another big City transfer story. City’s interest in Bazoer and Williams might be genuine, but it is unexplained why Guardiola and Begiristain had to meet in the Netherlands to discuss two Dutch-based players. Were there agents there? We don’t know. We also don’t know whether this truly was a secret meeting given Guardiola was photographed exiting a taxi in broad daylight. Still, it’s given us another couple of names to mull over, and that’s surely better than another Paul Pogba story, right?

TOTTENHAM TO GET CUT-PRICE BERAHINO

Tottenham Hotspur will finally snap up Saido Berahino from West Bromwich Albion in the summer, the Daily Mail reports. With Berahino entering the final year of his contract, he could be available for as little as £12m – a little more than half the sum West Brom rejected from Newcastle in January. The player’s wages and add-ons will increase the total value of the deal to £24m.

Paper Round’s view: And so football’s strangest saga rolls on. Having rejected a huge sum for an out-of-favour player in January, West Brom now face seeing him leave for half price – and this after he has finally re-established his place in the team. Given the near-certainly that Berahino will not sign a new contract, it seems equally likely that he will be off in the summer, and Tottenham seems the natural destination.

Jamie Vardy: Leicester City insert £30m release clause into England striker's contract - reports

The 29-year-old, who has scored 19 goals this season, agreed terms on a new three-and-a-half-year deal this winter.

Premier League leaders Leicester City reportedly inserted a £30m buy-out clause into Jamie Vardy’s new £80,000-a-week contract last month.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 19 goals this season, agreed terms on a new three-and-a-half-year deal after attracting the courtship of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United over the course of the winter transfer window.

Vardy, who signed from Fleetwood Town for £1m in 2012, is reported by the Times to have the option to leave the King Power Stadium if any suitors match his £30m valuation as the intrepid Foxes continue their unlikely title charge.

Claudio Ranieri’s side, expected to suffer relegation at the start of the campaign, are five points clear at the summit and 11 ahead of fifth-placed West Ham United - with nine matches to play - all but confirming their place in next season’s Champions League.

The report states that Vardy did not insist on the clause being added but it nonetheless guarantees that Leicester could command a sizable fee while the England striker, on the other hand, is assured that he won’t be kept against his will if he elects to leave in future.

Meanwhile, Ranieri has said he cannot wait to continue Leicester’s remarkable title challenge next Monday when relegation threatened Newcastle United visit the East Midlands.

“I don’t like to play Monday,” he said following the 1-0 win at Watford, courtesy of Riyad Mahrez’s second-half winner. “Saturday, Sunday yes, Monday is too long. But Newcastle – fantastic players, strong, quality, it is a difficult match.

“Somebody asked me if we are nervous,” Ranieri added. “Last season must [have been] nervous, now [we] must be happy. They had the bitter taste last season. Now they taste the sweet. It is not so hard. For us this season is to discover and improve, to build the winning mentality. Step by step. Not to be nervous. We are focused and everything could happen.”