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Boss confirms move as Arsenal close-in on £120k-a-week signing

By on June 4, 2016

According to reports in Italy, Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri has confirmed Arsenal have triggered Jamie Vardy’s release clause and are in talks to finalise a deal to sign the striker.

It all kicked off on Friday afternoon when SkyBet slashed their odds on Vardy joining Arsenal after receiving a flurry of large bets on the England international making the move to North London this summer.

The Mirror were then one of several major news outlets reporting on Friday evening that we’d triggered Vardy’s release clause – believed to be worth around £20m – and are in talks to get the deal wrapped-up before the start of Euro 2016.

The newspaper claims that the strikers agent made contact with Arsenal last month and made it clear he wanted a four-year deal worth £120,000-a-week, which would be double what he’s currently on at Leicester.

Fans have understandably been giving mixed reactions to the news on Twitter with some believing Vardy’s agent is leaking fake news to try and get the striker a better deal at the King Power.

However, it looks like all the reports are in fact true as Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri has been quoted in Italian outlet Sportevai as confirming our approach for the 29-year-old.

“Yeah, it’s all true: Arsenal made ​​an offer for Jamie.” Ranieri is quoted as saying

So, it appears Arsenal are now closing in on our second summer signing and the deal could even be finalised by the end of the weekend as Roy Hodgson doesn’t want his players taking medicals or discussing moves during their Euro 2016 preparations – which begin in France on Monday.

I must say this one is a real surprise and it’s a complete change in tact from Arsene Wenger. Who’d have thought the boss would sign a 29-year-old English striker for £20m?

I don’t really know what to make of it all to be honest. I’ve never liked Vardy as a person and there is the concern that he’s a one-season wonder. Sure, he scored 24 goals last year but in a system that is set-up perfectly to his strengths as Leicester play on the counter-attack which utlisies his pace.

We play the exact opposite. Vardy won’t have acres of space to run in to. Most teams sit back with 10 men behind the ball against us, so I’m not convinced Vardy is the right player for us….unless Wenger is looking to completely change our style of play.

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However, if we look at the positive side of things. We’ll be buying a striker who scored 24 goals last season and a player who has searing pace, which is what we’ve been crying out for. The hope is Vardy can adapt to our system and we can still get the best out of him.

Who knows, let’s just see what happens, but either way it looks like Wenger isn’t messing about this summer….which can only be a good thing.