Forget Italy, I want to retire at Leicester – Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri wants a new seven-year contract with Premier League champions-elect Leicester City – not the soon-to-be-available Italy job.

Italian Ranieri has been touted as a possible successor to national-team coach Antonio Conte, who will take over at Chelsea after Euro 2016, due to his stunning achievement of taking Leicester to the brink of their first top-flight title.

The Foxes sit seven points clear at the top of the Premier League with just five games remaining, and their 64-year-old boss has his heart set on retiring at King Power Stadium.

When asked by Kicker about the rumours surrounding the Italy post, Ranieri replied: “I’m very happy here and don’t think about a change. I think Leicester will be my last destination as a manager.

“I hope they will give me a long-term contract – six or seven years. And then I will finish my career here.”

Ranieri was also quizzed on the key to Leicester’s success, given this time last year the Midlands club were involved in a relegation dogfight.

“We don’t have secrets,” he said. “We only act as no-one would have expected.”