Jamie Vardy to Arsenal: Striker tells England stars he wants to stay at Leicester and is ’80 per cent’ set on decision Jamie Vardy is leaning towards rejecting a move to Arsenal in favour of staying at Leicester City. Sources close to the England camp here have told Standard Sport that the 29-year-old has discussed the situation with several players and is “80 per cent” likely to turn down the Gunners.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is aware of Vardy’s deep affinity with Leicester and has indicated the club are prepared to wait for a decision even though a delay risks complicating their transfer plans. The Gunners have met Vardy’s £20million clause and verbally agreed a three-year contract — with the option of a fourth season — worth £120,000 a week. Vardy is genuinely torn by the situation and has indicated he will not make his decision public until after England’s involvement at Euro 2016 is over.
However, it is believed that
as things stand, he is more likely to stay at King Power Stadium and sign a new contract with Leicester worth around £100,000 a week, which still represents a £20,000-per-week rise on the deal he signed in February. Wenger has not given up hope of luring Vardy to north London but is fearful that despite acting quickly in an attempt to tie up a deal, the prospect of continuing Leicester’s fairytale in the Champions League next season is too great to resist.
It is also understood that Vardy may have doubts as to whether he would be a first-team regular at Arsenal given the presence of Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott, while Danny Welbeck will return in the New Year.
Vardy would continue to start every game at Leicester, which also carries the additional benefit of giving him maximum game time to help prolong his international career, but he is still tempted by the obvious step up to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
The ongoing uncertainty over Vardy leaves Walcott’s position in limbo. West Ham are interested in the 27-year-old, who would be reluctant to leave Arsenal but is frustrated at a lack of first-team opportunities. The Gunners are unlikely to allow Walcott to leave until they have signed another striker and should their pursuit of Vardy fail, they will turn to other alternatives with Alvaro Morata among the names on their shortlist.
Chelsea and Manchester United are two of several clubs interested in the Spaniard, who is expected to be sold to the highest bidder after Real Madrid trigger a buy-back clause in his contract with Juventus and so there is no guarantee Arsenal would be successful with an offer.
Walcott is not believed to be actively seeking a move but if Arsenal agree a fee with West Ham — mooted to be in the region of £25m — then he may be forced to move on.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/jamie-vardy-to-arsenal-striker-tells-england-stars-he-wants-to-stay-at-leicester-and-is-80-per-cent-a3267441.html 
