Jamie Vardy: England manager Gareth Southgate will not rule out international recall for Leicester striker

Vardy stepped away from international football after 2018 World Cup

Gareth Southgate remains in dialogue with Jamie Vardy and has not ruled out a future England recall for the Leicester City striker.

The 33-year-old Vardy stepped away from international football following the 2018 World Cup but Southgate has always held out hope of coaxing him back to the England set-up.

Vardy, who did not officially announce that he had retired from international football, has scored five goals in three games - including four penalties - to lead the Premier League's scoring charts.

"We know that Jamie is still around and we still communicate a lot," Southgate said, having named his 30-man England squad for October's Wembley triple-header.

"I think at this moment in time we are in agreement that it's good to keep looking at these younger players, he is 32, 33.

"He has got a lot of football [left], he has a bit of an injury at the moment, I think.

"But I'm not in any way ruling him out if it's the right thing at the right time to bring him back into the fold."

Southgate handed Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin his first senior call-up following his excellent start to the season and feels he could be an understudy to Harry Kane.

The England manager is under pressure from Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho to use Kane sparingly during the forthcoming international break.

"I guess in terms of the way [Calvert-Lewin] holds the ball up and his build up play being reliable, he has some similarities," he said.

"Always with players, you don’t like to compare because they are all individuals and they all deserve to be treated and acknowledged as such. His link play is an important part of his game.  

"He has a fantastic leap, the ability to score outstanding headed goals is something that stands out that maybe one or two of our other centre-forwards dont have.  

"We need that competition. We need to keep pushing Harry as well. It can’t just be that Harry is on the teamsheet without having to fight for his own place as well."