Arsenal are closing in on the signing of one of the best players of last season – Jamie Vardy – after triggering the Leicester City striker's release clause. The Gunners are in the transfer market for a forward, having failed the Premier League title tilt test in front of goal last campaign.
Vardy was outstanding for Leicester City last season, scoring 24 goals in the Premier League as the Foxes went on to win one of the most surprising and spectacular titles in recent memory.
However, while Leicester insisting they want to keep the team that won the title together for next season, Arsenal have made their move in a bid to tempt Vardy to London.
According to The Guardian, Arsenal have triggered the £20million release clause of the 29-year-old striker, and are hoping to complete a move by this weekend. England travel to France on Monday for Euro 2016 and with Roy Hodgson not wanting any of his players to be bothered by transfers during the tournament, Arsenal will need to complete the move by Sunday, or else wait until the end of the European Championships, which might then invite other bids for the striker.
The Daily Mail say Vardy's representatives shopped the striker around to the big clubs, which suggests the England international is open to a move away from Leicester City, who are determined to hang on to their star striker, with a possible new contract also on the horizon.
Liverpool have also reportedly shown an interest, but the £20m release clause only applies to the clubs who have qualified for the Champions League, putting Arsenal in pole position.
Vardy currently earns around £60-80,000 a week, and if he does sign for a club like Arsenal, his wages will then go well beyond the £100,000 a week mark. The 29-year-old is reportedly looking for a four-year contract.
It will be an interesting move, if Arsene Wenger does complete the signing, as Vardy will be 30 next January. Wenger, usually, likes his strikers to be a lot more younger, but considering the dearth of centre-forward talent in the market and the fact that Danny Welbeck will miss at least half the season with injury, the Frenchman might have had a rethink on that policy.
If the transfer is completed, it remains to be seen how successful Vardy will be considering Arsenal are not the kind of club that play counter-attacking football, the striker's forte, owing to his pace. However, there is little doubting his finishing abilities, and Arsenal fans have been crying out to sign someone who can finish off all those chances that are regularly created by Mesut Ozil.
