Claudio Ranieri: Jamie Vardy now a marked man
Vardy scored 24 goals last season as Leicester won a shock title by 10 points after being 5,000-1 to win the league at the start.
It sparked interest from Arsenal after they triggered his release fee clause but Vardy turned down a switch to the Emirates Stadium in June and penned a fresh contract until 2020.
Ranieri believes he will be targeted following his outstanding season, which also saw him win the Football Writers’ Player of the Year award, and wants officials to watch out for Vardy.
“I hope the referees are very attentive and if there is something wrong they give penalties or free-kicks,” he said.
“But he must stay calm because of course now everybody wants to stop him.
“It is difficult to stop Jamie when he is in good shape or condition, but of course there are opponents and there will be tough matches.
“We also want to be ready with plan B, if Jamie can’t score. Last season Jamie didn’t score for around two months but he made a lot of passes and Riyad (Mahrez) scored.
“It’s not important for me who scores, whether it’s Jamie or (Kasper) Schmeichel.”
Record signing Ahmed Musa could be partnered with Vardy after joining from CSKA Moscow for £16million but Ranieri insisted the Nigeria international was not bought to replace Vardy.
“It’s not to challenge him. It’s important to have another player who can play in a similar way to Jamie,” he said. “Also Musa can play in a wide position, behind Jamie or alongside Jamie.
“It’s important to have a good choice for me so I can choose the first XI line-up and also during the match I can read the match and maybe say ‘I need this kind of player or another’.
“My players must be ready to do what I expect.”
Meanwhile caretaker manager Mike Phelan has admitted that Hull’s threadbare squad is not yet in a position to compete at a Premier League standard.
The Tigers have been beset by problems during a tumultuous pre-season, highlighted by Steve Bruce’s exit as manager, and are set to face champions Leicester in their opener on Saturday lunchtime with just 13 fit senior players.
The club are yet to make a signing this summer and long-term injuries, especially in defence, have left Phelan to pick up the pieces as he looks to press his own claims to take over the manager’s position on a full-time basis.
Asked if he had a squad capable of competing with the champions, Phelan said: “I would say no, simply because of the injuries - and the injuries are not short term.
“Most of them are longer term than we expected.
“It’s a small squad, but small squads before have worked well together. There definitely needs to be additions to this football club.”
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