Leicester City coach Claudio Ranieri has admitted he is disappointed to lose N'Golo Kante to Chelsea this summer since he had hoped to keep his Premier League-winning squad intact for a Champions League adventure together this year.
The Foxes accepted a club-record transfer fee from the Blues for the France midfielder and Ranieri has shown understanding for his decision to move to London, but he nevertheless regrets not being able to compete in Europe this season with the same players he had at his disposal last term, before letting them move on in a year's time.
"It can happen that you lose an important component of your squad, but I had hoped everybody would have stayed and listened to my advice, which was for us all to experience this Champions League adventure together," Ranieri told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Then, everybody would have been free to do something different next summer.
"But I do realise that a call from a club like Chelsea cannot leave you indifferent."
Jamie Vardy turned down an approach from Arsenal to adhere to Ranieri's plead to stick together, on the other hand, and the Italian coach is delighted with the England forward's exemplary attitude.
"It's enormous -- he's delivered a sign for everybody," Ranieri said. "He could have gone to Arsenal, earned more money and taken the last opportunity to join a club with global appeal. Instead, he preferred to stay in Leicester and his decision is like Gigi Riva [legendary Italy striker who turned down offers from Serie A giants to remain with Cagliari]. You've got to thank Vardy for this."
Ranieri now hopes the rest of his squad will follow Vardy's example, including Riyad Mahrez. The Algeria playmaker has also been linked with a move away from Leicester this summer, but Ranieri says he has "looked serene" during their training camp in Austria.