Jamie Vardy Rejects Arsenal Move In Favor Of Staying With Leicester City

English forward Jamie Vardy has rejected a move to Arsenal and is prepared to sign a new four-year deal with his current team, Premier League Champions Leicester City.

Jamie Vardy Rejects Arsenal Move In Favor Of Staying With Leicester City

The 29-year-old striker scored several goals for Leicester City last season, and will now be rewarded for his big role in the club with a brand new contract.

Arsenal triggered the release clause in Vardy’s contract at the start of the month and held talks with him, but Vardy ulimately decided against joining longtime manager Arsene Wenger’s team as part of a £22 million ($32 million) transfer. Although the news came as a blow to Arsenal, Wenger stated in a recent interview with Chinese television that he imagined Vardy would decide to stay with Leicester.

Leicester will now hope that Vardy’s decision to stay will strengthen their chances of holding onto two of their other leading players, N’Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez, as they attempt to hold together the team that became champions last month.

Vardy is set to hold talks when he returns from the UEFA Euro 2016 finals in France, where he will hope to feature for England in their last-16 game against Iceland on Monday.

“Leicester City have today (Thursday) agreed with the representatives of Jamie Vardy to extend the England international’s contract with the Premier League champions for a further four years,” said a statement on the club’s website.

“Both parties hope that this announcement will end recent speculation regarding Jamie’s future and confirm his long term commitment to Leicester City Football Club,” the statement continued.

Vardy first joined Leicester from Fleetwood Town for £1million ($1.46 million) four years ago, and perhaps feels a certain loyalty to his teammates and manager Claudio Ranieri. He scored 24 Premier League goals for Leicester last season and played a key role in their success.

Vardy’s most recent deal, which increased his wage to around £70,000 ($102,000) a week, was signed in February and runs until 2019. He was recently named the Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year and scored four times for England, including the equalizer in the 2-1 victory over Wales in Lens last Thursday.

SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE – JUNE 20: Jamie Vardy of England in action during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group B match between Slovakia and England at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on June 20, 2016 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)