Speculation Vardy to Arsenal

[Blaarev]

I might be totally wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if London would be very attractive to the new Mrs V.

I was trying not to say that.......

 

[Profondo Rosso]

One thing is for sure though. No one person is bigger than the club. If Vardy wants to go and that is his only objective then he should. There is no point in having unhappy people.

Completely agree!

The romantic in me just wants to see these players all retire at Leicester.

This is the greatest side we'll ever see at Leicester so I just like having an affiliation with the players so it's kinda heartbreaking to see them go. Like Lee says, I don't think they owe us anything as they've already given us what very few football fans will ever experience but just the romantic in me wants to see them here for years. I wouldn't even care if we got relegated with them still here.

It's not so much losing players which will weaken the side - we're Leicester, not ManUtd, we'll be playing in the Championship again within the next decade or so quite likely - it's what we do, spend a few years in the top flight and spend a few years in the second tier. I don't support Leicester for the glory - if I did I'd support ManUtd - but these players still incredibly did lead us to glory and that's why I love them all.

They won't all go though. I'm sure some like Morgan, Fuchs and Huth could easily retire here and still have a good 4 or 5 years before that happens. Some of the players in their mid-20s like King, Drinkwater and Albrighton I hope stay at the club for another decade.

That said, none of them are bigger than the club. I followed us to League One and loved every minute of it. They'll all retire one day, Leicester will carry on regardless.

 

[SilverFox]

Completely agree!

The romantic in me just wants to see these players all retire at Leicester.

This is the greatest side we'll ever see at Leicester so I just like having an affiliation with the players so it's kinda heartbreaking to see them go. Like Lee says, I don't think they owe us anything as they've already given us what very few football fans will ever experience but just the romantic in me wants to see them here for years. I wouldn't even care if we got relegated with them still here.

It's not so much losing players which will weaken the side - we're Leicester, not ManUtd, we'll be playing in the Championship again within the next decade or so quite likely - it's what we do, spend a few years in the top flight and spend a few years in the second tier. I don't support Leicester for the glory - if I did I'd support ManUtd - but these players still incredibly did lead us to glory and that's why I love them all.

They won't all go though. I'm sure some like Morgan, Fuchs and Huth could easily retire here and still have a good 4 or 5 years before that happens. Some of the players in their mid-20s like King, Drinkwater and Albrighton I hope stay at the club for another decade.

That said, none of them are bigger than the club. I followed us to League One and loved every minute of it. They'll all retire one day, Leicester will carry on regardless.

Of course you do. We all want to see that. It is improbable.

What I find disappointing is that this emerges 3 months after he signed a new contract. I don't have a lot of respect for people who don't honour their promises. I get that he likely wants to be paid what he feels he is worth, but the time for negotiating on that was back in February. This is a little bit dishonourable.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

It's a risk, he's the main man here. Joining Arsenal would be a gamble. Arsenal are a big club but it's not like they can offer Champions League Football or a greater likelihood of trophies as we've got Champions League ourselves and we've beaten them to their precious title this year. I'd be disappointed if there's a £20m release clause, surely he's worth more to us than that.
Whatever happens we just need to trust in Ranieri and the rest of the backroom team to strengthen the squad and add adequate replacements if we do lose people. Southampton are in a similar position. Regularly being cherry picked by bigger clubs but they've carried on with some success.

As for what Kevin Kilbane said on BBC.. "
When the big clubs come calling, they might not come again. I think you go.

"You want to test yourself against the best and with better players. Technically, Arsenal are a better side than Leicester."

Pffffft.. we've just beaten them to the title - arguably they aren't at the present time. As for testing yourself against the best, again he can do that and it's also proven that playing for Leicester is in no detriment to his International chances.

 

[Miles Away]

Who gives a shit? If our players want to leave they can leave. They've just won us the league, I'm not going to begrudge them moving on if that's what they want. We can go down next season for all I care. I've seen us crowned Champions of England, FFS.

Yep. Same.

 

[Billyjof]

20 million wouldn't even buy Sterling's left boot.

Gutted if he want this move and it happens but it's not unexpected.

 

[bocadillo]

I may be proven wrong but the fact every major newspaper - broadsheet and redtop and the BBC site and Sky are all reporting it as fact suggests that it's very likely Arsenal have triggered it.

Sky seem to have changed their mind since March. Then they reported that there was no such clause in his new contract.

 

[M17TT C]

Can't believe this has had so much attention as I thought this was the sensible place!

Not a chance he'll be going anywhere let alone Arsenal. It's another Suarez bid all over imo in that nothing else will happen. I doubt they really want him either but have just bid to look like they want to make a big signing to keep the fans quiet/happy.

He won't want to go there anyway so you can all chill.

Wible.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Would be so disappointed to see him leave, so soon after signing an improved contract, would be understandable if we had fallen away and missed Champions League qualification, but we went and won the league god damn it whilst that shower of shite bottled it yet again....... Also it isn't just the new contract it's the recent quotes including band of brothers and urging all his team mates to stay for another year.

I am just hoping this is the work of his agent and Vards will tell Wenger to do one and at worst wangle himself yet another improved contract, however if this happens I hope the club would insist on increasing release clause by another 15m or binned altogether .

Over to you Jamie .........

 

[Brown Nose]

Top recently admitted that 'some' of the players had release clauses in their contracts.

It has been widely reported that Kante has such a contract. I'm surprised by this one as he was coming to us without a massive reputation but it appears to be true. It would be incompetent on the part of Vardy's agent if one wasn't inserted in his new contract from a few months ago so I don't see why people would be questioning it.

If it is only in the region of £20m, there will surely be several clubs in England and abroad that are tempted to try to sign him. West Ham were recently reported to be interested for example. Frankly, any Premier League club can now afford Vardy so why wouldn't they have a go?

It is in Vardy's agents interest to generate as much interest as possible. I'm also relatively sure that Mrs Vardy will be wanting her new husband to 'follow the money'. The lingerie pictures, selling the wedding to Hello magazine etc clearly suggest her interests and motivations.

The 'V9' business, the books, the film, etc all point to an attempt to establish a 'brand Vardy'. To do this, he needs to continue to evolve the story. Does he feel that this is best served staying at Leicester or making a big transfer? I'd suggest the latter. He has a couple more years before his pace begins to decline and he has to grab what he can, while he can.

If it were simply a footballer making a footballing decision, he'd stay put because he has it very good here. We suit him and he suits us. But it's not that.

On the wider issue of the team potentially disintegrating, the lesson from last summer should be pertinent. Cambiasso went and some unknown chap from France came in . . .

Irrespective of anything else, in Steve Walsh we should trust.

 

[pork pie fox]

Top recently admitted that 'some' of the players had release clauses in their contracts.

It has been widely reported that Kante has such a contract. I'm surprised by this one as he was coming to us without a massive reputation but it appears to be true. It would be incompetent on the part of Vardy's agent if one wasn't inserted in his new contract from a few months ago so I don't see why people would be questioning it.

If it is only in the region of £20m, there will surely be several clubs in England and abroad that are tempted to try to sign him. West Ham were recently reported to be interested for example. Frankly, any Premier League club can now afford Vardy so why wouldn't they have a go?

It is in Vardy's agents interest to generate as much interest as possible. I'm also relatively sure that Mrs Vardy will be wanting her new husband to 'follow the money'. The lingerie pictures, selling the wedding to Hello magazine etc clearly suggest her interests and motivations.

The 'V9' business, the books, the film, etc all point to an attempt to establish a 'brand Vardy'. To do this, he needs to continue to evolve the story. Does he feel that this is best served staying at Leicester or making a big transfer? I'd suggest the latter. He has a couple more years before his pace begins to decline and he has to grab what he can, while he can.

If it were simply a footballer making a footballing decision, he'd stay put because he has it very good here. We suit him and he suits us. But it's not that.

On the wider issue of the team potentially disintegrating, the lesson from last summer should be pertinent. Cambiasso went and some unknown chap from France came in . . .

Irrespective of anything else, in Steve Walsh we should trust.

When I thought about it, last night, the same thought entered my head. Remember how we all felt, when Esteban left last year.......

 

[Mawsley]

Are Arsenal willing to take the lookalike as well? If not they can cock off.

 

[Dour]

Mercury is reporting that it is a £20 million clause, only available to Champions League clubs, and only up to June 3rd. And that Vardy's representatives were touting him around.

 

[spionfox]

I might be totally wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if London would be very attractive to the new Mrs V.

i'm sure and his mrs would want London life i'm sure.

Nothing to stop her living there if that's what she wanted to do. Vardy could commute the same way Kaspar does.

 

[spionfox]

This is a little bit dishonourable.

This is modern day football and has been for decades now.

 

[spionfox]

Arsenal are a big club but it's not like they can offer Champions League Football

Eh?

 

[Real Sharapova]

Eh?

I'll double that. Eh? Eh?

 

[Brown Nose]

The romantic in me just wants to see these players all retire at Leicester.

This is the greatest side we'll ever see at Leicester so I just like having an affiliation with the players so it's kinda heartbreaking to see them go.

There is much pain ahead for anyone that dilutes their affection for the club with one for particular players or staff. Retaining some objectivity is important no matter how emotionally attached to someone you think you are.

We follow Leicester City; not Vardy, Mahrez, Ranieri, Pearson, Top and Vichai, Mad Mandy, etc. Players, managers and owners come and go. Some become heroes and many, many more don't.

I love Vardy in a City shirt. I feel pretty indifferent to him in an England one. I have no affection whatsoever for him in an Arsenal one. This time last year my favourite player quit for Olympiakos. I've not been interested in him since. And I'm sure the feeling is entirely mutual.

The last time we had a really good team and manager was in 2000. Then Heskey, O'Neill and Lennon left in about six months and the whole thing disintegrated because we made a series of shambolic decisions. We tried to keep Lennon by throwing money at him and it failed. The same will be the case now too. There are suggestions this morning that Vardy's agent wants another pay hike (120k) and four year deal for Vardy if he is to stay. This would be a mistake in my opinion.

We're not as big as Arsenal and we are unlikely to ever be as big as them. We can't compete and should't try to. Ronaldo outgrew Man Utd. Suarez outgrew Liverpool. Henry outgrew Arsenal. Bale outgrew Spurs.

What we must do this time that we failed at last time was make smart decisions on growing the club and replacing those that inevitably depart. So, we must build up the stadium. We must continue to recruit widely and intelligently.

Ultimately, we can now aim to establish ourselves as the biggest club between Manchester and London within the next five years or so. That should be our focus.

 

[LeeCovFox]

I've seen (not only here) a few comments now suggesting that Mrs Vardy may be some kind of malign influence who wants to follow the money and live the London lifestyle.

That's more than a little unfair. Firstly, if that is something she wants to consider, that's her prerogative and she is his wife; I'd expect my partner to have a say in bg life decisions too. Her views will, or certainly should, come before those of a gang of football supporters on the internet. And Jamie Vardy is all grown up. He'll make his own decision about what he wants.

Look at it this way. You play for Leicester but that's your only affiliation to the club. You don't support them. If any of Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Man City or Chelsea come calling you're going. Every single time. They're just bigger clubs than we are. They'll pay more too. In my industry if I get an offer of better pay from a bigger player, and the move suits my family, I'm off.

Some (not on this forum in fairness) seem to think we now get to be a big club. Our recent success does change our status somewhat. It allows us to look Derby and Forest straight in the eye. It probably elevates us to a sort of West Ham status; hovering between the historically big clubs and that second tier consisting of Norwich, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Utd etc to which we've always belonged. But to be one of the real big clubs you need half a century of relative success and support, or some oil rich bugger to buy you out and get you winning titles pronto.

We have neither and, in my view, we are the better for it. How brilliant did this season feel in the context of our past struggles? I'll take that over any other title winner I've ever witnessed from afar. Anyway, a little bit of me still pines for Barnsley at home on a rainy Tuesday night.

 

[camberwell fox]

Anyway, a little bit of me still pines for Barnsley at home on a rainy Tuesday night.

It was all going so well up until this. Although I get your sentiment nothing can replace playing someone like Liverpool at home in front of a packed ground IMHO.