Jamie Vardy linked with surprise move to São Paulo
São Paulo have opened initial talks about Jamie Vardy, who is a free agent after leaving Cremonese; formal negotiations have not begun.
Jamie Vardy could be on the verge of one of the most surprising moves of his career as São Paulo have shown serious interest in the veteran England striker.
Initial contacts but no formal talks yet
The Brazilian giants have made initial contacts regarding a possible signing of Vardy, who is currently a free agent after his contract with Cremonese expired. Club officials have studied the option in some detail and view the 39-year-old Englishman as an intriguing market opportunity.
Those within São Paulo’s hierarchy believe Vardy remains in very good physical shape and that his experience and winning mentality could add value to the squad. At the same time, there are reservations over his age and the financial package that would be required to complete a transfer.
Vardy will turn 40 in January. Last season he spent his campaign in Italy, scoring seven goals in 29 matches for Cremonese, but was unable to prevent the club’s relegation to Serie B. After the season he left Italy with his family and returned to England, where he is considering offers to continue his career.
The 13 seasons Vardy spent at Leicester City remain the defining chapter of his career: he played 500 matches and scored exactly 200 goals for the club. He was one of the main protagonists of Leicester’s historic 2015/16 Premier League title, when he netted 24 league goals.
São Paulo are now weighing whether to turn their initial interest into a formal proposal, a move that would send Vardy to South America for the next chapter of his career.
Photo: Kirill Venediktov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
