Leicester City cannot replace the “unique” Jamie Vardy but the opportunity is there for a fresh face to lead the line and lead the club into a new era, Ruud van Nistelrooy has said.
Vardy signed off in superb fashion on Sunday afternoon, scoring his 200th goal to set City on their way to a 2-0 victory over Ipswich.
It was the final time he will play up front for the club, and so from next week at Bournemouth and from next season, there will need to be a new man at the top of the pitch.
Filling Vardy’s boots is impossible for his successor, but van Nistelrooy has suggested it will be a new signing up front next term, rather than an existing player, and that they will have a chance to lead City into a new era.
“You can replace the position, but you can’t replace a player like that,” van Nistelrooy said in his post-match press conference. “He’s unique.
“It’s a new era. It opens up a position for a new striker. It’s the post-Vardy era.”
Vardy showed his undeniable quality in scoring the 200th goal he set out to achieve on his final game.
The striker had missed a couple of opportunities just prior to his goal, but finishing in classic fashion, racing off the shoulder of the last defender and slipping a shot past the goalkeeper.
Van Nistelrooy said it speaks volumes about the 38-year-old that he had a plan and he put it into action.
“It’s not so easy,” the manager said. “He wanted this, he wanted his 200th, but you have to be capable to do so.
“I think that speaks millions about him. He sets himself a target and goes at it. He’s not waiting for anyone because there are not any gifts in this world.
“To be able to set a target like that and produce, only the best can do it.”
“I think we will look back in a couple of years that we were part of his last moments in this football club. It was a pleasure to be next to him.”
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