Arsenal have tabled a £20 million bid for Jamie Vardy, enough to trigger the release clause in his contract. Claudio Ranieri is reported to have confirmed the bid to Gazzetta dello Sport and a medical could take place in the next 24 hours. Arsene Wenger will see the fee as a bargain considering he has previously argued Leicester's star striker was worth £30 million.
However, there's no guarantee that the Gunners will get their man. Vardy could well be making a huge mistake if he opts to leave the King Power Stadium so soon after a breakthrough season which saw him net 24 times and score in a record 11 consecutive Premier League games. Vardy ought to consider five reasons against leaving before making one of the biggest decisions of his career ; one that doesn't need
to be rushed before Euro 2016.
to be rushed before Euro 2016.
Vardy is an icon at Leicester
Vardy is idolised at the King Power and the whole team plays through him. He is the first name on Ranieri's team sheet and said to be on a very competitive contract, too. Even Arsenal may struggle to match his reputed £90,000-per-week wages and City's ambitious Thai owners will probably increase them further in a last-ditch bid to keep him.
Vardy should use the inevitable offers this summer as a bargaining tool to get the best possible deal at Leicester. There would be plenty of incentive to leave if the Foxes hadn't
won the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League but, next season at least, Vardy isn't experiencing a higher level of football at Emirates Stadium.
won the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League but, next season at least, Vardy isn't experiencing a higher level of football at Emirates Stadium.
Not the right time to move
It would be prudent for Vardy to make a deal with the club: he stays until January, then if Leicester are knocked out of the Champions League or flagging in the league he will be allowed to leave. That way Vardy can plot his next move, while at the same time helping Leicester fight on multiple fronts. This will also
give the club time to find a replacement, hardly a routine task.
give the club time to find a replacement, hardly a routine task.
It also means Vardy can begin 2015-16 in a settled state. He will have played a lot of football over the summer -- to return from the Euros and have to dive straight into preseason with new teammates and tactics won't be easy.
From Leicester's perspective, the club will also want to send a message that the squad isn't
falling apart. Vardy is really the kingpin in this respect. The most likely players to leave are Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante, with the latter reportedly in talks with Paris Saint-Germain . If Vardy goes first there's a real danger more stars will follow. Conversely, a commitment from the England striker might persuade others to at least start the season with the Foxes and see how things go.
falling apart. Vardy is really the kingpin in this respect. The most likely players to leave are Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante, with the latter reportedly in talks with Paris Saint-Germain . If Vardy goes first there's a real danger more stars will follow. Conversely, a commitment from the England striker might persuade others to at least start the season with the Foxes and see how things go.
Arsenal are the wrong fit
Arsenal are not direct enough for Vardy nor will they switch to 4-4-2 for him. If he wants to move to London, Tottenham Hotspur would complement his strengths better and allow him to link up with England teammate Harry Kane ; an old Leicester pairing, although one former boss Nigel Pearson bizarrely and frequently left on the bench.
On paper, Vardy would prove a replacement to Olivier Giroud, but in practice Giroud spent as much time on the bench as the starting lineup last season. Theo Walcott (if he is not sold) also wants to play through the centre, so there's no guarantee Vardy would be anything more than a squad player.
Vardy's 25.8 percent shot conversion rate is superior to Giroud's (20 percent), but Wenger sometimes prefers to field a series of interchangeable midfielders to a recognised striker. As with England, Vardy could plausibly be forced out wide (a position he isn't nearly as effective in) and even when through the centre he wouldn't be the focal point of the team.
To utilise his electrifying pace the Gunners would essentially have to bypass the likes of Santi Cazorla or Mesut Ozil and pump the ball forwards much quicker. Vardy would have been the perfect fit for George Graham's Arsenal, but not Arsene Wenger's.
Age is not on his side
Vardy is currently 29. This can be used as both an incentive to move elsewhere or stay at Leicester. On the one hand it could be argued that Vardy has one big move left in him and if he doesn't make it now he will never play for an elite club. Yet, by the same token, perhaps he needs to accept that Leicester is his peak.
Vardy will turn 30 in January and all that needs to happen is he loses a slither of his pace with age and suddenly he will become a shadow of his former self. Leaving for Arsenal could give him one or two glorious seasons, but he could also struggle to settle and become a veteran bench-warmer.
The Hollywood story will remain intact if he stays at Leicester, whatever happens next season, and he'll play every game if fit. Trying his luck at Arsenal might add to the story, there's absolutely no denying that, but it could also end in a nightmare. It all depends whether Vardy is content with his fairy tale or wants to roll the dice.
He could damage his England chances
Vardy will feel he can stay in the England fold until the World Cup in Russia in two years time. That's a realistic goal, but only if he plays and
scores regularly over the next two years. Being part of a World Cup will cap off his astonishing rise from Fleetwood.
scores regularly over the next two years. Being part of a World Cup will cap off his astonishing rise from Fleetwood.
Vardy will be competing with Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and inevitably a
new wonderkid (Marcus Rashford) to hit the scene for selection.
If he's playing fleetingly for Arsenal and into his mid-30s it's going to be almost impossible to make a claim for England.
new wonderkid (Marcus Rashford) to hit the scene for selection.
If he's playing fleetingly for Arsenal and into his mid-30s it's going to be almost impossible to make a claim for England.
If he's still scoring 20-plus goals for Leicester he'll be an automatic starter. There's clearly a range of hypothetical permutations here, but the key point to make is Vardy feeds on momentum. If he doesn't get consistent match time, and it's doubtful he will at Arsenal, he won't be able to sustain his super-human form or status.
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