Arsene Wenger is braced for disappointment in his attempt to sign Jamie Vardy, according to the Mirror.
The striker’s current club Leicester came back with an improved contract offer on Monday, and Vardy’s team-mates have made an emotional plea to stop him joining Wenger at Arsenal.
Vardy, 29, had promised the Gunners’ boss an answer on Monday, when he flew out with England for Euro 2016 duty in France. But he did not get in contact, leaving the Londoners fearing the worst.
Boss Wenger, who had offered to meet the player’s £20million buy-out clause, believes he would have accepted Arsenal’s offer by now if he was keen to move to the Emirates.
Instead, his silence was deafening.
The Gunners offered a contract worth around £120,000-a-week worth over four years — double what he is currently on at Leicester after signing a new deal only in February.
But, as we revealed yesterday , the champions’ Thai owners are understood to have moved quickly by proposing improved terms to take Vardy up towards the £100,000-a-week mark.
Vardy has also been told by England boss Roy Hodgson to put the transfer talk on hold to concentrate on the Euros, and agents have been banned from the training base in Chantilly.
Leicester midfielder Andy King has revealed the whole dressing room have gathered together to plead with Vardy to stay.
Asked if he would be in contact to try to stop the striker leaving, Wales international King replied: “Yeah, of course. We want all our best players to stay and try to build from there. But what he decides to do is up to him.”
Arsenal’s interest came after Vardy’s incredible 24-goal haul in Leicester’s title winning season.
“Was I surprised? No, I don’t think so because all of our players have had brilliant seasons and are going to be linked with big clubs,” added King.
“For Leicester, it is going to be a summer of speculation of incomings and out-goings. Nothing has happened yet and it will probably be a long transfer window.
“It is 25 players in a squad and if one or two decide they want to go and play their football elsewhere ,we wish them all the best. But we want to keep our best players and hopefully add to that.”
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