At 38 years old, Jamie Vardy is seeking a new challenge following Leicester City's relegation from the Premier League. After 13 years at the club — scoring 200 goals in 500 appearances — the veteran striker has been linked with a number of teams, including Wrexham, Wolves, and his former side, Sheffield Wednesday.
There have also been rumours of lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer. However, one of the most persistent links has been with Spanish giants Valencia. Back in May, the La Liga outfit were already credited with an interest in Vardy, with manager Carlos Corberan reportedly viewing the former England international as a perfect addition to his frontline.
Valence’s plans for Vardy
Nearly two months on, Corberan remains keen to explore the possibility of bringing Vardy to the Mestalla. According to GiveMeSport, discussions are ongoing between the Valencia head coach and the club’s technical director about how Vardy might fit into their system—and whether they can stretch the budget to cover his wages.
The Spanish manager is well aware of Vardy’s eye for goal, having observed his exploits during his time managing Huddersfield Town and West Brom. However, Corberan does not see the striker as a regular starter. Instead, Vardy would be utilised as an impact substitute—someone capable of making a difference off the bench.
Vardy, for his part, is confident he can still compete at the top level.
"I’ll keep going until my legs tell me I have to stop. My legs feel fine," he told Sky Sports in May. "I’m doing what I love, it’s what I’ve done since I was a kid, so I want it to last as long as possible."
Vardy could still play in Premier League as a super-sub
Former Manchester United and Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster believes Premier League clubs should be queuing up for Vardy.
“He could sign for 15 different teams — probably 15 Premier League sides,” Foster said on his Fozcast podcast after Vardy's departure from Leicester was confirmed. “He’s a bit like Liam Delap — not going to be the main man for anyone, not going to play 32 or 33 matches. But what he will do is come off the bench for 25 or 30 minutes and give you absolutely everything.”
This article was originally published on Fotbal Portal.