Leicester City extend Jamie Vardy's contract until end of 2018/19 season
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2018/19 season, the club announced on its official website. The 29-year-old striker has been in scintillating form this season and leads the Premier League goalscoring charts with 18 goals in 25 appearances.
The Foxes are currently top of the table after beating title rivals Manchester City 3-1 at the Etihad. The result puts Claudio Ranieri’s side on 53 points – five points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur who are in second place with 48. Vardy’s new deal was announced soon after the club’s away win in Manchester.
His initial contract would have seen him become a free agent in the summer of 2018. The new contract extended his deal by a year. The Englishman will be 32 at the time.
I’ll forever be grateful to Leicester City: Vardy
Speaking about the new contract, Vardy said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be fighting to achieve something special with this club, as part of this squad.
“I’ve never known a spirit like it – from the owners, to the manager and his staff, the players and the fans. I want to be part of it for a long time.
“Leicester have shown nothing but total faith in me since the day I arrived here and it’s impossible to measure how much that belief has helped me to improve. I’ll forever be grateful for the investment the club has made in me and I’ll spend every day working to repay it.”
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Vardy’s performances towards the end of last season saw him earn an England call-up last summer and he will most likely be a part of Roy Hodgson’s plans when England travel to France this summer to take part in Euro 2016. The Three Lions had qualified for the tournament with a perfect record in the qualifiers and Vardy had been a part of the squad that beat San Marino and Switzerland.
Ranieri happy with Vardy’s contract extension
Manager Ranieri has also been credited with Leicester City’s rise in the Premier League this season. Exactly a year ago, the Foxes were at the bottom of the table and they now find themselves at the summit. But Ranieri gave due credit to not only Vardy but also the team’s spirit throughout the campaign.
“[Jamie] has shown what a fantastic player he is and, more importantly, he is part of a fantastic group,” the Italian manager said. “I am very happy that he will stay with us for a long time.