Does Iheanacho’s budding partnership with Daka signal the end for Vardy at Leicester City?

While there’s the tendency to be nonchalant about results in pre-season, several incidents and situations can be thought-provoking, regardless. 

For Leicester City and Brendan Rodgers, the obvious interest in last season’s FA Cup winners is understandable. Despite missing out on Champions League football on the final day of last season — their 4-2 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur saw them end fifth — the transfer activity of the Foxes has caught the eye. 

One of those arrivals is Patson Daka, the Zambian marksman signed from Red Bull Salzburg following a couple of remarkable campaigns in front of goal. The 22-year-old netted a staggering 27 goals for the Austrian champions last term, after a 24-goal campaign in the previous season. 

Given his age and potential, it was a steal for the East Midlands side that the young frontman moved to the King Power Stadium in a five-year contract believed to be around £22 million. 

It immediately raised questions over the future of Nigeria’s Kelechi Iheanacho, despite the Super Eagle star’s commendable showings in the second half of last season. The forward netted a staggering 11 goals in the final 12 Premier League games of the season and played a prominent role in Leicester’s first FA Cup win in the club’s history. 

The West African’s goals helped the Foxes secure wins over Manchester United and Southampton in the quarter-final and semi-finals, which took the club to their first final since 1969. 

He ended top scorer for the 2017 PL champions, ending Jamie Vardy’s five-year streak and 2021/22 seemed to be filled with promise. 

However, there have been doubts about the forward who many have tipped to make way in the Leicester team — with Vardy and Daka playing in tandem up front. 

Be that as it may, Rodgers’ claim after the Foxes played out a 3-3 draw against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday suggests the aforementioned claim may be wrong. 

“As soon as [Daka] is in that goalscoring position, he's so calm and not even thinking, even though he's right-footed, he just slots it away with his left foot,” Rodgers explained to the club’s official website. 

“You see that natural goalscoring instinct and then his speed to get to the ball for the penalty, I never thought he was going to get there, but he showed great pace. He won the penalty, so it was a good performance by him. 

“I think that's what he is, he's a goal scorer. I thought him and Kels combined very, very well. They were looking for each other and some of their play was exceptional. The goalscorers, I think when it hits the back of the net, it gives them confidence and gives them that energy.” 

It remains to be seen if the Zambian will be eased in next year, particularly as he acclimatizes to his new teammates, a new league and the greater intensity of training and matches. Regardless, it appears the African pair may be the future of the Leicester attack.