Jamie Vardy will make a decision with Leicester before the end of the season on whether he will stay at the club next term.
The 38-year-old forward is arguably the greatest player in the history of the club, helping them win the Premier League title in 2016 and the FA Cup five years later.
Yet Vardy is out of contract at the end of the season and with Leicester virtually certain to be relegated to the Championship, both sides are considering the next steps.
Vardy has seven goals and three assists this term in a team who have struggled desperately, losing 14 of their last 15 matches. Even though he turns 39 in January, Vardy has no plans to retire and still believes he can perform at the highest level.
Put into context, Vardy’s displays at Leicester this term have been remarkable. He has completed 90 minutes 17 times and his physical data is similar to what he produced 10 years ago. This is why a number of Premier League clubs are watching closely to see the outcome of Vardy’s discussions with the Leicester hierarchy.
Leicester signed Vardy in 2012, paying Fleetwood – who were then a non-league club – £1million for him. Since then he has become one of the most famous footballers in the country thanks to his exploits with the Foxes, and he also won 26 caps for England.
Jamie Vardy is set to make a decision over whether he will stay at Leicester next season
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team look set to be relegated from the Premier League this campaign
Vardy is arguably Leicester’s greatest ever player and helped them win the title in 2015-16
With the prospect of reduced income in the Championship, Leicester must also decide whether it makes financial sense to offer renewed terms to their highest-paid player – even though these would be automatically reduced in the second tier.
Either way, both parties are committed to finalising the matter before the end of the campaign – unlike last term, when Vardy helped Leicester to instant promotion from the Championship but did not agree a new one-year contract until June 7.
