Former Premier League title winner Jamie Vardy is set to leave Italian outfit US Cremonese this summer, but could he crop up in League One next season?
The 39-year-old called time on his Leicester City career last summer, opting not to follow them back to the Championship following their relegation from England’s top tier. He eventually made the move to Serie A with Cremonese, who had just earned promotion from Serie B.
His time in Italy now appears to have been a short one, with renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano revealing the ex-England striker is ready for a new chapter after I Grigiorossi’s relegation was confirmed at the weekend. A return to England appears to be on the cards, but could Vardy really end up in League One?
Sheffield Wednesday
Vardy’s rise to the pinnacle of English football has been well documented. After spending the majority of his early career in non-league, he was snapped up by Leicester in 2012.
It could have been so much different though. Growing up a Sheffield Wednesday fan, he was a part of the Owls academy set up until his eventual release at the age of 16.
It remains one of those ‘sliding doors’ moments but with his boyhood club now facing a reset in League One following its long-awaited takeover, could the attacker opt to finish his career at Hillsborough? It has been confirmed that the possibility has been raised internally by the South Yorkshire-based club, although it remains to be as to whether its a financially viable option.
Vardy would need to considerably lower his wage demands to make this move happen. However, there’s little doubt that guiding Wednesday back to the Championship at the first time of asking would be a fairytale end to his career.
Leicester City
In a dramatic twist of fate, Leicester have also fallen into League One just one year after Vardy’s departure. 13 years at the King Power Stadium came to an end last May, where he signed off with his 200th goal in his 500th appearance in a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town.
The striker has already helped deliver an iconic Premier League title, two Championship’s, a FA Cup and a Community Shield to the Foxes and a potential return to the East Midlands would surely make them one of the favourites to win the third tier next season. This is surely a move that Leicester would like to explore.
It has been widely reported that they will have at least £10 million at their disposal to bolster their chances, which could put them in the driving seat when it comes to securing the services of their former talisman. However, Vardy has never played in League One and considering he didn’t want to drop into the Championship a year ago, convincing to play another division lower would be a tall task.
Can Vardy Be Convinced To Drop Into League One?
Vardy will no doubt have an array of offers to return to England this summer. This is likely to include a range of Championship clubs but whether that would be as a regular starter is another matter altogether.
League One is a different story. Despite his age, the former Premier League Player of the Season would be a cut above anything else in the division and would see plenty of game time.
It has been claimed that the player still believes he can perform in the Premier League but the fact that Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester will now play in the the third tier, the prospect of Vardy stepping out at the likes of Bromley, Burton Albion and Wycombe Wanderers has suddenly become a viable one.
