Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has stated that Jamie Vardy is an "example" on the pitch for teammates to follow.

The striker has recently apologised after being accused of racial abuse in a casino, and the Foxes will carry out an investigation into the incident.

However, Ranieri has said that Vardy's personality makes him a great asset to have in his dressing room.

"He is a fantastic man," the Italian told the Leicester Mercury. "He is an example for the other teammates. He is a strong man, and has a very strong mentality. He impresses everyone.

"He is a hard worker and I love these kind of people. He continues to press, to press, to press. I love this. He shows this to his teammates and they look at him and say, 'Come on, we can do this together, as a unit'. That is important.

"He is a nice boy, very funny, but when he is on the pitch, he is different. He is strong."

Vardy has scored 26 goals in 98 league games since joining Leicester from Fleetwood Town in 2012.