Jamie Vardy to Arsenal: Gunners considering move for Leicester striker but yet to meet £20m release clause

James Benge3 June 2016

Arsenal are interested in Leicester striker Jamie Vardy as their summer transfer business continues to gather momentum.

The 29-year-old Premier League champion, whose 24 goals were second only to Harry Kane in the Golden Boot stakes last season, has emerged as a viable target for Arsenal and the club could activate his release clause of around £20million.

Though it has been reported that Arsenal had already done so, Standard Sport understands that this is not yet the case.

However, the fact that Arsene Wenger is even considering a player of such an age profile represents a significant shift in transfer priorities at the Emirates.

Arsenal's most expensive transfers

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Arsenal have also considered a move for Juventus forward Alvaro Morata, but such a deal would require Real Madrid to buy the striker back for around €30m (£23.5m) before then selling him on at a profit, with the Gunners considering whether the Spanish international would be worth more than the £42.4m they parted with for Mesut Ozil in 2013.

West Ham have also considered a bid for Vardy, though he is on a sizeable list of targets that includes Alexandre Lacazette, Michy Batshuayi and Christian Benteke.

England international Vardy signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Leicester in February having fired in a string of goals that set them on course for an unlikely title triumph.

Were Arsenal to activate his release clause it would be down to the former Fleetwood Town striker to decide whether to stay at a club where he has enjoyed an unprecedented rise to prominence or move to London.

There has already been significant expenditure at the Emirates this summer, with Granit Xhaka's recent £34m arrival making him the third most expensive signing in Arsenal's history.

And it is not expected that that will be the end of Wenger's business for the summer.

Speaking before the final game of the season, Wenger said: “I must say, we want to combine technical stability with players that we know want to play and know our game. Maybe bring in three players for example. That’s the right level for me.”

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