Jamie Vardy: Leicester striker a Premier League icon, says Brendan Rodgers

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Jamie Vardy (right) has returned from injury to score four goals in his last two games

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has described Jamie Vardy as a Premier League "icon" as the striker marks 10 years at the club.

Vardy, 35, joined from Fleetwood for £1m on 18 May 2012 and has scored 132 top-flight goals in 268 games.

The former non-league player is 14th on the all-time Premier League goals list and scored 24 goals as Leicester won the Premier League title in 2015-16.

"I think he's a real icon of Leicester and of the league," said Rodgers.

His manager compared Vardy's career path to that of former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright, who did not break into professional football until he was nearly 22. Vardy, who also made his name in the non-league game after being released by Sheffield Wednesday, joined Leicester when he was 25.

"I think his journey, coming into professional football at 25 and scoring his first Premier League goal at 27, to go on and score the goals he has and to have the impact he has had, he is such a unique player," added Rodgers.

"We've seen it before with other players like Ian Wright coming through and playing at the highest level. But Jamie's story, from playing FA Cup qualifiers to going on to win the FA Cup and win the Premier League, to playing in the Champions League, he really is a great of this football club but also the Premier League.

"You put him up there with the top strikers."

Born and raised in Sheffield, Vardy was released by Wednesday at 16 after coming through the Owls' youth system.

Spells at Stocksbridge Park Steels and trials at Crewe Alexandra and Rotherham followed, before he signed for Halifax, then Fleetwood, helping the Lancashire side gain promotion to the league.

After signing for Leicester, who were then in the Championship, Vardy's career accelerated as he lifted the biggest prizes in English football - the 2016 Premier League title and last year's FA Cup - as well as winning 26 caps for England.

Leicester, ninth in the table after a tough season, play third-placed Chelsea on Thursday.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport