PUTTING IN THE VARD YARDS

Vardy splashing out on gym equipment to keep sharp... even a cryotherapy chamber

JAMIE VARDY has splashed out a fortune in his quest to become the Premier League’s official No.1 goal-den oldie.

The Leicester hitman needs just one more to set a new record for the most goals scored after the age of 30.

Vardy, who is 35 next month, goes in search of that recordbusting strike at Southampton tonight, with Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers revealing the full extent of his desire to extend his goal rampaging days.

The former England ace’s double against Watford at the weekend put him level with Arsenal legend Ian Wright’s benchmark of 93 Premier League goals after turning 30.

That is some feat, considering Vardy (above) was a latecomer to the professional game and aged 27 years and 232 days when he made his top-flight debut.

It is enough to make Saints shake in their boots – Vardy scored three at St Mary’s in their 9-0 demolition job the season before last and his nine goals so far this campaign sees only Mo Salah ahead of him.

But Rodgers says his predator supreme has forked out thousands to make sure he squeezes every last drop out of his career.

Rodgers said: “As a latecomer to league football, to have clocked up the numbers he has is astonishing – and there’s no sign of it stopping.

“He’s invested a lot of money in items to help him at home. A lot of it is about how you look after your body. He recognises the importance of that, he’s very focused on progressing his career.

“He has all sorts of machines at home, including a cryotherapy chamber to get that extra recovery.”

The Foxes boss admits it is a delicate balancing act deciding how and when to rest his prolific marksman, who sees every game as an opportunity to boost his tally.

He added: “We give him the chance to recover. He’s very easy to manage. Most players will tell you they want to play every game, but, as a manager, you have to do what is best for the team.

“No player will tell you they don’t want to play, even if they are absolutely shattered.

“Jamie gets goals and the very nature of a goalscorer is that they just want more and more. But it’s not about just one guy – you can’t get too emotional about it. It’s about the team.”

Rodgers admits he is blessed, adding: “He’s a real pain for opponents.

“It’s great for me and I’m very, very lucky to have him.”