Jamie Vardy weighs up Champions League option after leaving Leicester
Jamie Vardy is set to have a number of options on the table after leaving Leicester City and at least one of those could give him a shot at Champions League football
Jamie Vardy is weighing up a Rangers move which could offer him a Champions League return. It would represent a first chance of playing in European football's top club competition since 2016-17, when he took part for Leicester City.
Vardy played nine Champions League games for Leicester in the season after their Premier League title win, scoring in games against Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. He is leaving the King Power Stadium this summer, though, after scoring 200 goals in 500 matches for the Foxes.
The 38-year-old is likely to have a number of options on the table as a free agent. According to The Mail, Rangers are now in the mix for a player who has also attracted interest from Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League.
Rangers will enter next season's Champions League in the second qualifying round after finishing second behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. They were eliminated from the same competition in the third qualifying round this term, losing to Dyamo Kyiv and dropping into the Europa League.
The Glasgow club have yet to appoint a new permanent manager after Barry Ferguson's spell in interim charge. Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti are among the favourites for the post, but early contender Steven Gerrard won't be returning to Ibrox.
It wouldn't be the first time Rangers have explored a move for Vardy. Their former manager Ally McCoist claimed in 2022 that they pushed for the striker when he was still at Fleetwood Town, only to be priced out of a move.
"I tried to get Vardy when he was at Fleetwood, believe it or not. I couldn't get the money," McCoist told talkSPORT in 2022. "My coach John Brown watched Jamie Vardy. He had a great eye for a player, he watched him for 45 minutes and sent me a message saying: 'We need to get this lad'. That's a fact!
"Clearly that wasn't to be. There are probably a few more (that we nearly signed) I could think of off the top of my head but Vardy was probably the biggest one."
Former Leicester striker Gary Lineker was among those to praise Vardy after the striker confirmed his exit. "I'd like to just thank Jamie for all he's done for Leicester City Football Club," Lineker said.
"He's inimitable. He can be a bit of a s***house at times on the pitch for everyone, but I always think in a brilliant way. He's been one of the game's great finishers.
"He's done some incredible things. He was part of obviously the title-winning team in 2016 and then the FA Cup -winning team as well. He's been incredibly consistent and has very much been an absolute hero of all Leicester City fans. So thank you, Jamie Vardy, and good luck with whatever comes next.'
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