Arsenal Transfer News: Jamie Vardy Reportedly Reveals Gunners Snub, Top Rumours

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has reportedly told his England international team-mates he is to reject the advances of Arsenal to stay with the Premier League champions. 

According to James Olley of the London Evening Standard, the 29-year-old striker is said to be “80 per cent” sure of the decision he has made. As noted in the piece, the Gunners matched Vardy’s release clause of £20 million recently and have offered him a three-year deal.

Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones also suggested the Foxes talisman is leaning toward staying with his current employers:

Should he opt to stay on, Vardy will sign a new contract with the title winners that would see him paid £100,000 per week, per Olley.

It would be a fascinating decision from the England international should he remain loyal to his current club. After all, there is unlikely to ever be another opportunity for Vardy to move to one of the established elite clubs in the country. While Leicester are the champions, Arsenal are a few levels up in the footballing hierarchy.

This graphic from WhoScored.com sums up just how effective the forward was for the Foxes, as they shocked everyone to win the Premier League title in 2015-16:

For Arsenal, this would be a big blow. While manager Arsene Wenger typically doesn’t pursue players of Vardy’s age or style, the bid made by the club suggested there may be a shift in emphasis.

The forward is at his best when an incisive, direct style of football is used, something diametrically opposite to the Gunners’ way under Wenger.

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There is still plenty of time for Vardy to change his mind, but loyalty to Leicester would be admirable.

The No. 9 will be playing in the UEFA Champions League next season, and he has the Foxes to thank for taking a punt on him when he was a player at Fleetwood Town. The lure of the Emirates Stadium will surely be tough to stave off, though.

Theo Walcott Wants Arsenal Stay

According to Mattias Karen of ESPN FC, Arsenal’s interest in Vardy will not push Theo Walcott out of the Emirates Stadium, with the forward said to be keen to stay and fight for his place in the first team.

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The potential capture of the Leicester man would be an obvious concern for Walcott. The former Southampton star has long been considered as the player to offer a direct, rapid threat in the final third. On the back of a tough season for the 27-year-old, it looks as though Wenger is seeking another outlet.

However, as these numbers from uMAXit Football’s Raj Bains illustrate, the England international has arguably been underperforming for a long time now:

Much of that is because Walcott is not a guaranteed starter for Arsenal. If he was handed a consistent run in the same position over the course of a number of games, we’d see a much better player.

At Arsenal, who will have eyes on the Premier League title next season, that’s unlikely. Walcott is a dangerous player and a useful squad member, but the Gunners need an upgrade in quality in key positions if they are going to make a push for the top spot.

For the sake of his own development, Walcott could also surely do with a fresh start elsewhere.