Jamie Vardy says has no regrets about staying at Leicester City, despite the chance to move to the Emirates in 2016.
- Arsenal wanted to sign Vardy last summer
- Vardy rejected the move as he was happy at Leicester
- He does not regret his choice
Arsenal tried to sign Vardy last summer after his 24 goals led Leicester to an unexpected Premier League title in 2015/16.
The striker had a £20m release clause in his contract that Arsenal quickly activated, but were eventually rejected by the player who was happy with his lot at Leicester.
Leicester haven’t quite hit the same heights since, but Vardy does not regret his decision to stay. “I have no regrets whatsoever. I have made some great decisions in my life,” Vardy said.
“Since I have been here, we have had play-off heartache to winning the league, battling relegation to stay in the league to avoiding relegation to finish mid-table.
“Who knows, it might be another good season. We will have to wait and see what the club’s plans are for where they want us finishing and we will be putting our all in to do that.”
Arsenal went on to sign Lucas Perez from Deportivo instead, a move that didn’t work out for either party. Vardy, meanwhile, scored just 13 goals for Leicester last season and didn’t do much to escape that one-season-wonder tag.
Vardy also had his say on the Riyad Mahrez transfer saga, and believes that most of it is just paper talk. “It is all just paper talk and you are going to get this at this stage of the season,” he said.
“Riyad has been the one linked left, right and centre, but from what we understand no bids have come in and he has been training exactly how he would have last year and the year before that.
“It has not changed him. Until the club reach an agreement with anyone and accept a bid, then that will be time for him to go talk to them.”
Arsenal have been heavily linked with Mahrez, but have yet to make a bid.