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After Leicester City’s stunning Premier League title win in 2016, several of their standout players attracted interest from some of Europe’s top clubs. None more so than Jamie Vardy, who scored an impressive 24 Premier League goals that season.
Vardy earned a spot in the England squad and traveled to France for the European Championship that summer. It was there that he crossed paths with Arsène Wenger on multiple occasions, with the then-Arsenal manager eager to bring him to North London.
“I spoke to him [Wenger] a couple of times in the hotels we stayed at while in France. It was just a brief ‘Hi, are you okay?’ before heading off to the match,” Vardy told Sky Sports.
“It was basically every hotel. I think he was doing French TV for the Euros. It wasn’t awkward; it was just a simple ‘Hello, are you okay?’ It was nice to know they wanted to buy me.”
Despite the interest, Vardy ultimately chose to remain at Leicester, and he later explained the real reason behind his decision.
Jamie Vardy’s Heart and Mind Led Him to Stay at Leicester
Vardy revealed that both his heart and mind urged him to stay at Leicester, considering how much the club meant to him, even down to the tea lady.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it—every time I thought about it, every aspect of it, both my head and my heart told me to stay. That’s why I made my decision,” he said.
“Deep down, if you don’t think it’s the right move for you, you don’t do it. It’s as simple as that. You have time to think about everything, even the tea lady. You think about what might happen, what might not, and where you could be. Every time I thought about it, my heart and head were saying, ‘You need to stay.’”
Vardy added that, while it was the hardest professional decision he’d made, when it came to following his heart and mind, the decision was clear.
Vardy Has Become a Leicester Legend
The age-old question in football is whether to chase legendary status at one club or to move around in pursuit of as many trophies as possible. Vardy has managed to do both. The experienced striker is now a true Leicester legend and has secured two major trophies: the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Additionally, he’s won the Championship twice, the Community Shield, and competed in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
In hindsight, it’s clear that Vardy’s decision to stay at Leicester in 2016 was the right one.
