Jamie Vardy reacts to Leicester message from stunned Conor Coady
Jamie Vardy brought the curtain down on his Leicester City career in style on his 500th appearance for the club against Ipswich Town.
Both the Foxes and Ipswich have been bound for an immediate return to the Championship for quite some time, but that didn’t prevent Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s side from continuing their late-season revival.
A 2-0 win over the Tractor Boys saw Leicester leapfrog Kieran McKenna’s side into 18th place with their second win in the last three; a run which has produced their best three-game streak of the entire season.
Vardy‘s 28th-minute opener was his 200th goal on his 500th appearance for Leicester exactly 13 years after his £1million move from Fleetwood, and Kasey McAteer rounded off the scoring in the second half.
Vardy responds to message from ‘my brother’ Coady
Leicester’s relegation straight back to the Championship after they bounced back at the first attempt has seen their recruitment come under the microscope, with Coady one of several to make minimal impact.
The former Wolves captain hasn’t been able to replicate his international-level form on the other side of the Midlands, and it’s very possible that he could follow Vardy out of the King Power Stadium’s exit door.
Coady was full of admiration for Vardy after his history-making goal against Ipswich though, and in an Instagram post (19 May) liked by the 38-year-old himself, the veteran defender made his feelings clear.
Coady said: “You made the impossible possible for your club my brother – it was an absolute pleasure to play alongside you.”
Leicester exit doesn’t mean the end for Vardy
Leicester’s time in the top-flight may be over for next season at least, but many Premier League clubs believe Vardy can still excel at the highest level and newly-promoted Leeds United have their eye on him.
Football Insider revealed on 9 May that Wolves are front-runners to sign Vardy on a free transfer when he exits Leicester, and the striker could make the opposite move to that of his team-mate Coady in 2023.
Ally McCoist noted that in his time as Rangers’ manager, he was keen to bring in Vardy from Fleetwood before Leicester got the chance, and a Premier League-level striker could be the perfect statement transfer for the new ownership group at Ibrox.