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Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is gearing up for an \u201cexciting\u201d year ahead.<\/p>\nLeicester boss Brendan Rodgers is gearing up for an \u201cexciting\u201d year ahead.<\/p>\n
The Foxes lie second in the Premier League and have a Carabao Cup semi-final against Aston Villa to look forward to next month.<\/p>\n
Leicester proved the strength of their squad when a much-changed side beat West Ham 2-1 on Saturday, and Rodgers said: \u201cI told the players that we start the new year before that match, the second part of the season, and 2020 could be a very exciting time for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a big month, a lot of games, a semi-final and of course our objective is to get to Wembley.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur focus really above everything is on our next game and how to recover the players. But it\u2019s an exciting time for the club.\u201d<\/p>\n
Defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City either side of Christmas showed there is still a gap to be bridged to the elite.<\/p>\n
The transfer January window provides an opportunity for Leicester to make further inroads, but Rodgers insists they are in no hurry to splash the cash.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver time what we want to do is develop, there\u2019s no doubt about that, if we\u2019re going to compete with your Manchester Citys and Liverpools,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know we need extra quality and different profiles of players, but it\u2019s step by step. We\u2019re not a club that can just go out and spend \u00a380-90million on a player. The club doesn\u2019t work that way.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to bring in a certain type of player, develop him and allow him to grow into our way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m here, to try to aid that development for the players and for the team and create a culture that can hopefully allow us to sustain European football.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got some fantastic players but of course everybody would like to improve. The players have to be affordable and available for that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s something the club will look after \u2013 they\u2019re very, very good at that recruitment side. If the club can get them, then I\u2019m sure they will.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jamie Vardy will return against Newcastle on New Year\u2019s Day having missed the West Ham match after his wife gave birth to their daughter.<\/p>\n
Ricardo Pereira is expected to be fit after resting a tight hamstring.<\/p>\n