Arsenal: Jamie Vardy Likely To Stay With Leicester City

Arsenal have been in heavy pursuit of Jamie Vardy, however, reports are now surfacing that the Leicester City forward is set to reject any advancements from the Gunners in favor of staying at the King Power.

There has been a raging debate for multiple transfer windows among Arsenal fans about a possible replacement for Olivier Giroud. The current Arsenal center forward is considered a talented and effective player, but it is almost universally accepted that he is not in the very top tier of strikers that Europe has to offer.

Related Story: Is Alexis Sanchez's Tiredness A Worry?

While Wenger clearly rates the quality of his fellow Frenchman, he has still not shied away from trying to bring in a replacement. There have been consistent rumors linking Arsenal with a variety of different strikers, including Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain and perhaps most famously Luis Suarez, when Wenger made a fool of himself with a £40 million and £1 bid for the then Liverpool sensation.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Ultimately, though Wenger has been unable to recruit any of the upper echelon forwards, and this Summer, he has now turned to the miraculous Jamie Vardy in his quest to finally recruit an Olivier Giroud replacement.

However, things are not going as planned for Arsenal. The Gunners activated a release clause in Vardy’s contract, subsequently offering him a £120,00 a week contract. The offer is still open, and Leicester responded with an improved contract for their star player, forcing the decision on Vardy.

With the upcoming Euro 2016 looming, Vardy decided to put the decision on ice in favor of wholly focusing on England duty. However, reports have stated that Vardy is 80% certain to reject the Gunners’ advancements and stay with the Foxes.

This would be a disappointing outcome for Wenger and Arsenal. They have committed time and energy in an endeavor to bring in Vardy, and it looks as though it may well be wasted as a result of Vardy’s decision.

The issue for Arsenal only snowballs when further transfer moves come into consideration. If Vardy is the priority, how long are Arsenal willing to wait on a decision at the risk of seeing an Aubameyang or Morata slip through their fingers?

Next: Will Spurs Beat Arsenal To Vincent Janssen?

It is a question that is yet to be answered, but with the Euros now on the doorstep, it could well be a while until Arsenal, Leicester and Vardy himself can head towards next season with an idea of what the squad may look like. However, early reports are not good for the Gunners.