Brendan Rodgers made clear from the moment he arrived at Leicester City in February that securing European football was a key ambition. He never promised it would happen this season; but the possibility is growing by the week.

Since beginning his reign with a late defeat at Watford, Rodgers has led his team to four successive victories. They have the momentum, and with five matches to play, are seventh in the table, which will be enough for a place in Europe if Manchester City win the FA Cup.

Ultimately, though, his aim is to crack the top six. Since they defied the odds to win the Premier League three years ago, Leicester have settled into the top division’s “best of the rest” band. Rodgers, so nearly a Premier League title winner himself with Liverpool in 2014, wants more than that. “My ambition when I came in was to get European football for Leicester and to win a cup,” he said. “Whenever that comes, that is still the ambition.

“The part of the great challenge here is the top six. We have a smaller budget than the teams in there, but it is still a great challenge. Whenever it comes, that is the ultimate challenge.

“I’m not thinking about it so much, though – just about working and seeing players improve and try to create a strong base for the summer and the start of next season.”

Rodgers’ chances of making a push for the top six next season are likely to be improved significantly if he can sign Youri Tielemans on a contract. The Belgium midfielder, who struck Leicester’s opening goal in a reasonably comfortable win at relegated Huddersfield on Saturday, has scored twice and produced four assists in eight games since his loan move from Monaco in January.

Leicester want to keep him, but he will not be cheap; a club record fee of around £40 million is likely to be required. Even then, there is no guarantee that he will sign. Tielemans’s fine performances in midfield are attracting the attention of more glamorous clubs with bigger budgets. Manchester United have been linked in recent days; there are bound to be offers from others.

“He was coming on loan, and I have to respect he is a Monaco player,” said Rodgers.

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“Would I like to work with him? Of course; he is a wonderful talent alongside the other talents we have.

“But that is something that can hopefully be organised between the clubs. We will see what we can organise at the end of the season.”

Tielemans forms part of an effective midfield trio, attacking with James Maddison as Wilfred Ndidi mops up behind them. Maddison scored a fine free kick for Leicester’s third goal in West Yorkshire, ending Huddersfield hopes of a revival after Aaron Mooy’s penalty had pulled them back to 2-1.

Maddison’s celebration was rather cheeky; he stole Huddersfield goalkeeper Ben Hamer’s water bottle from the back of his goal and proceeded to drink from it. “I was thirsty,” Maddison said. “What else could I do?”

Leicester’s second and fourth goals came from Jamie Vardy, a striker enjoying a renaissance since Rodgers arrived.

The 32-year-old has eight goals in his past eight games; he touched in Ricardo Pereira’s cross at the far post for his first here, then just about beat Hamer from the penalty spot after being brought down by Terence Kongolo.

That penalty took Vardy to 104 goals for Leicester, above Gary Lineker on the club’s all-time scoring list.

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