Ruud van Nistelrooy says he “can always do with” Jamie Vardy but has to respect his wishes to end his Leicester City career this weekend and miss the final game.
Vardy will bow out this Sunday when City host Ipswich in their last home match of the campaign. It will be the striker’s 500th appearance for the club.
It will mean he won’t feature when City travel to Bournemouth on the final weekend of the season.
Van Nistelrooy says he would obviously prefer to have him in his squad, but has to bear in mind what Vardy wants.
“Yes, I can always do with him,” the manager said at his press conference on Friday.
“It was clear in his announcement that he would leave Leiester. He announced he would play his last game at Ipswich and that’s what we respect.
“He’s been a great captain and he’s been supportive since my arrival. The six months we have been working together have been tough, it’s been rough.
“He’s always been a great leader and always wanting to improve and to keep going and to take responsibility. He’s the captain you want.”
While this weekend’s match will be a celebration of Vardy’s 13 years at the King Power Stadium and will hopefully be capped with a 200th goal for the talisman striker, there’s no change to the club’s preparation.
They’re hoping to get a win that would extend their unbeaten run to three matches, and that's the focus for Vardy too, the 38-year-old not letting the occasion affect him.
Asked how Vardy had been this week, van Nistelrooy said: “There’s nothing different! That’s what I tried to address as well. He’s preparing to win the game on Sunday. That’s what he does.
“He’s been so good over so many years because of that mindset. He’s not been bothered with criticism or praise, he’s thinking on performing.
“There’s absolutely nothing different in how he is around the place, in his preparations. We haven’t seen any other Jamie Vardy than we’ve always seen, and I love that.”
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