One of the biggest stories circulating around the Tavern recently has surrounded the future of Leicester striker Jamie Vardy.

It looked set to be a done deal, until last week when it was suggested that the striker had rejected the proposal in order to stay at the club where he won the Premier League last year.

It is certainly admirable on Vardy’s part; Arsenal would almost certainly have been more lucrative, but he has chosen to stay at the club that gave him a chance when nobody else would.

Whilst many Arsenal fans in the Transfer Tavern are disappointed with the news, our landlord doesn’t think it’s all bad.

In fact, he thinks that Arsenal missing out on the striker is GOOD news for the club.

Here are THREE reasons why Arsenal are LUCKY that Jamie Vardy snubbed them……
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE THREE REASONS!

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Age

At 29 years old, Jamie Vardy is certainly not a signing for the future.

Of course signing older players is sometimes a great move, but in this case, we think that it would be a shocking piece of business.

Arsenal are a club that are looking to rebuild and re-cement themselves after an impressive second place finish last season, and Jamie Vardy would do very little to contribute to that long term.

Arsenal would be much better placed to put £25 million aside and put it towards someone younger and that can provide goals for them on a long term basis.

Reputation

People can argue that it is what happens on the field that counts; but that simply isn’t true in the modern game.

Football today is as much about the off the field goings on as it is about what happens on the pitch; and Jamie Vardy has a very chequered past at best.

Whether you consider his arrest for assault during his lower league days, or the more recent accusations of racism during his time with Leicester; Jamie Vardy is certainly no saint off the pitch.

Over the years, Arsenal have built up a reputation for themselves as a classy and well to do club.

By bringing in Jamie Vardy they risk bringing this into disrepute.

Scoring Record

This one is controversial, but it is important.

The fact of the matter is that 12 months ago, Vardy was practically walking towards the exit door at Leicester, only to remain at the last moment.

At the beginning of the season, he wasn’t even a certain in the first team.

Now this is not to take credit away from the striker; what he produced last season was no short of heroic. But it was just one season.

£20-25 million is a lot of money to be betting on someone that you cannot guarantee will be as prolific next season, especially given the other reasons listed here.

He may well go on and perform well again for Leicester next season; but to risk all that money on an aging player with just one good season behind him would be a silly decision from the club.