Arsenal Transfer News: Jamie Vardy Move Considered by Liverpool, Latest Rumours

Liverpool are reportedly considering making a move for Leicester City's Jamie Vardy and will make a decision about whether to battle Arsenal for the Englishman during the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament in France.

According to Paul Hetherington in the Daily Star, Liverpool have been tracking the striker for two seasons but need to get rid of one of their four central frontmen, "probably Belgium's [Christian] Benteke," before they can move for the 29-year-old.

Arsenal recently activated Vardy's £20 million release clause, a move the Reds are considering mirroring, and a Leicester source revealed that he is seen as an ideal addition to a Liverpool front line that includes Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings, per Hetherington: "We know Vardy is seen as the perfect fit for Liverpool. That's because of his pace, work ethic, ability to run the channels—and goalscoring ability."

Liverpool entering the fray for Vardy would be a big blow for Arsenal, as it has been hard enough for the Gunners with the forward agonising over leaving Premier League champions Leicester, per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones:

Throw a Liverpool offer into the mix, and Arsenal's chances of signing Vardy would shorten further—although the north Londoners' Champions League status still should give them the edge. 

However, the "hammer blow to the Gunners" could come from Vardy opting to stay with the Foxes, and the Daily Star's Jeremy Cross reported he is set to do just that by rejecting the move to the Emirates.

Cross indicated Vardy is "expected" to snub Arsenal—and thus likely any other suitors—and sign a new deal at Leicester, opting "in favour of helping Claudio Ranieri’s men defend their Premier League title next season and compete in the Champions League."

Vardy has become much sought-after thanks to his key role in Leicester's startling title triumph in 2015-16—he netted 24 goals in 36 appearances, per WhoScored.com.

Arsenal have long been missing a consistently prolific striker.

Olivier Giroud is the Gunners' No. 1 frontman, but his best return in a Premier League season is just 16 goals, and he was helped in reaching that mark in 2015-16 by a final-day hat-trick in a largely meaningless game against relegated Aston Villa, per WhoScored.

Per tactical expert Jonathan Wilson for WhoScored, Vardy "seems a strange fit for Arsenal," and thus it could be a blessing in disguise if the Gunners fail to snap him up.

It will require them to go in search of another, perhaps more expensive, striker, but it could lead them to the more proven likes of Gonzalo Higuain—who has also been tenuously linked with Liverpool, per football pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft:

Despite coming second in the Premier League last season, it is clear that Arsenal need a more prolific striker if they are to win the title again, but it looks as though Vardy may be slipping out of reach.