Ranieri: 40 points the main target

Premier League champions Leicester City must 'start from scratch' next season with safety the number one priority, manager Claudio Ranieri has said.

Having been tipped to be relegated from the Premier League at the start of last season, the Foxes enjoyed a fairytale campaign which ended with them being crowned champions, finishing ten points ahead of second-placed Arsenal.

Next season will bring its own challenges with Leicester facing into a Champions League campaign and they have already been dealt a blow with N'Golo Kante's move to Chelsea over the weekend.

Ranieri is keen to bring more silverware to the King Power Stadium but has first set his players a target of 40 points to guarantee their top flight status.

"The basic concept is to start from scratch," Ranieri told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We won the title, it was nice and great, it was perhaps a unique accomplishment, but now we turn the page.

"If at the beginning of last season the bookmakers were quoting 5000-1 on our chances of the title, this time [we must] start from 6000-1.

"The goal to start is the threshold of 40 points for safety. Then, once you hit the finish line, we will raise the bar.

"Finish in the top 10; [qualify for] the Europa League; a place in the Champions League. And maybe win a trophy from the five in which we will play: the Community Shield, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League. The line-up is this. Step by step."

While Kante opted to move to Chelsea, Jamie Vardy turned down the chance to join Arsenal by signing a new contract extension with the Premier League champions.

"It was huge. It gave a signal to all," Ranieri added.

"He could have gone to Arsenal, earned more money and taken advantage of his last chance to land in a world-class club.

"He preferred instead to stay at Leicester and it seems to me a choice like Gigi Riva. Vardy should be thanked."