Jamie Vardy is a big-club player... he can be successful anywhere, says Jose Mourinho
- Chelsea travel to Leicester in the Premier League on Monday night
- Leicester are second in the Premier League after a stunning start this term
- Jamie Vardy is the top goalscorer in England's top flight with 14 so far
Jose Mourinho insists that record-breaker Jamie Vardy has shown enough class this season to suggest that he could thrive at one of the major Premier League clubs.
Vardy, who has scored 14 goals this season and broke Ruud van Nistelrooy's record by scoring in 11 successive matches, has thrived in Leicester's City counter attacking style, allowing him to attack space, a tactic which might not be as productive at a more established Premier League side expected to take the game to the opposition.
But Mourinho, whose team take on Leicester on Monday, disagrees that his playing style would hamper him at a bigger club.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy would shine at one of the Premier League's top sides, feels Jose Mourinho
The 28-year-old (right) scored in a record-breaking 11 successive Premier League games for Leicester
'He is top scorer and it is normal that big clubs want him,' said Mourinho. 'Even at a big club (counter-attack) transitions are important, fast players are important, people to attack space behind defenders are important.
'Obviously in the big teams sometimes we face very low (defensive) blocks where technical players to play in the box are very much needed. But I think a fast player with objective and being direct can have success everywhere.'
And Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic says that no amount of physical treatment can stop Vardy at the moment, such is his momentum.
Asked about this different ways in which to stfile the goal-scoring phenomenon and whether kicking him might shackle him, Ivanovic joked: 'If it helps – why not? Some of the strikers don't like when you kick. You kill their confidence.
'But Vardy in the moment is running a lot and it is making the space for other players as well. They are confident, are in the place where they have really, really biggest confidence in the last couple of years. I think it will be very hard.'
Mourinho (right) knows his Chelsea side face a tough task trying to contain Vardy when they meet on Monday
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic (right) joked that kicking Vardy may be the only way to stop him
Mourinho reckons that Leicester will make the top six this season as a minimum and therefore qualify for the Europa League.
He said: 'They are in such a position where only three things can happen to them. One, to be champions, which would be amazing. Another would be to finish top four, which would again be a super achievement, but very normal at this moment because of the difference of points is very big.
'The worst thing that can happen to them is to finish top six, which should be a phenomenal season too.
'At this moment I don't think they are thinking about relegation anymore, they are not thinking about finishing in the top half as that is certain, so at this moment they have conditions to enjoy playing free of pressure but keeping that ambition that leaves them in this fantastic position.'
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