Sport
Vardy’s decision to stay won’t define Leicester’s season
Jamie Vardy’s assertion that it was “easy” to turn down Arsenal isn’t likely to define Leicester City’s summer. Claudio Ranieri and the newly-crowned Premier League champions will have been ecstatic to see their top striker ink a new deal at the King Power Stadium, but holding onto those who helped propel the Englishman is proving to be a more difficult task. Vardy’s decision to stay won’t define Leicester’s season.
Predictably, the Foxes are in trouble of being gutted before the new campaign kicks off. The lure of Chelsea has already proven too much for N’Golo Kante, who like Vardy, ascended into football’s consciousness with a tremendous 2015-16 campaign. Leicester quietly signed Nampalys Mendy to replace the Frenchman, but it’s a tall order for him to plug the considerable gap covered by his countryman.
Riyad Mahrez is the next game-changer to be linked with a big-money transfer. Ranieri suggested the Algerian has been distracted by Arsenal’s rumoured interest, but reports have continued to indicate he won’t have his head turned. Either way, Mahrez’s decision is a risky one.
He is likely to be judged entirely differently next season. The opposition now know all about Mahrez’s skill, goal-scoring prowess and sharp dribbling style, so will be better equipped to target him. Many onlookers continue to consider whether last term will prove to be a one-off achievement in the club’s history, but greater questions will be asked of the individuals who fired the team to such heights.
Can Mahrez replicate his 17 goals and 11 assists from the domestic campaign? It’s unlikely, but the spotlight will be even more intense if he moves away. There’s a feel-good factor around Leicester and an air of, if it all comes crashing down, those involved have already outdone themselves. Such liberties aren’t offered at sides such as Arsenal and Chelsea.
Perhaps the biggest indication of Leicester’s quality is the sudden interest in backroom staff. Steve Walsh’s long association with the club ended when Ronald Koeman and Everton came knocking, offering him the Toffees’ first ever director of football role. Walsh is a shrewd recruiter—playing a key role in the aforementioned players heading to Leicester—and could prove to be loss whose impact is felt more significantly than any big-name transfer in the long-term.
Foxes coach Craig Shakespeare is reportedly on Sam Allardyce’s England staff wishlist, while scout Ben Wrigglesworth joined Arsenal earlier in the year. Success breeds popularity and an eager eye from rivals, so loyalty is likely to be key to any sustained talk of Leicester remaining among the top teams. Being able to quickly lure, integrate and excel with new personnel—both on and off the pitch—is shaping up to be a tougher task than winning their first Premier League title.
Vardy has everything he needs at Leicester and his decision to stay should be seen as his way of giving back to the club who took a chance on him. His sense of drive is deep-rooted. Trophies would be nice elsewhere, sure, but Leicester are currently enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime storyline. With every departure, however, the notion of the underdog is becoming more prominent.
