Jamie Vardy to Arsenal: Gunners could face Leicester while trying to sign striker as Premier League fixtures revealed

Arsenal have activated Vardy's £20m release clause but have not heard back from the Leicester striker

Jack de Menezes

Wednesday 15 June 2016 10:44 BST

Jamie Vardy could face Arsenal while the club are still trying to sign him from Leicester (Getty)

The new Premier League fixture list for the 2016/17 season has thrown up a controversial fixture during the second weekend of matches as reigning champions Leicester City host last season’s runners-up Arsenal at the King Power Stadium.

With Arsenal activating the £20m release clause in striker Jamie Vardy’s contract, the two clubs are currently battling to persuade the England international to sign a new contract, be it a brand new deal with the Gunners or an extension at the King Power Stadium.

Despite being out in France at Euro 2016, Vardy is still mulling over his future, and is not expected to inform Arsenal with his decision until England return from the European Championship. At present, Vardy is believed to be leaning towards remaining with Leicester and snubbing Arsenal, but anything can still happen and there is nothing preventing the north London side from making an improved offer to try and lure the 29-year-old to the Emirates.

Arsenal have offered Vardy a three-year contract worth £120,000-a-week, while the Foxes are willing to make the forward their highest paid player by some margin in the form of a deal that is in the region of £100,000-a-week.

With all the complications that go with football transfers, the last thing any team wants is to play the club that is trying to poach their star player, but that could be what happens on 20 August if Vardy’s future is not secured by the start of the new campaign.

After Arsenal face Liverpool on the opening weekend and Leicester take on Hull, the two clubs meet at the King Power Stadium in what could prove an awkward match for Vardy. Should negotiations continue through until August, Vardy could face the possibility of facing a club that he is considering joining, with the transfer window remaining open until the 31 August.

Arsenal striker transfer targets

Show all 10

1/10Arsenal striker transfer targets

Arsenal striker transfer targets

Alvaro Morata (Juventus)

Morata looks certain to leave Juventus, but his destination remains unknown. Real Madrid lead the pursuit for the Spain international given they can activate a €30m [£23.6m] release clause in his contract after 1 July, but Juventus will be keen to sell elsewhere given they can command a much bigger fee based on is valutation. Morata would represent a proven goalscorer that Arsenal have lacked in recent years, having fired Juventus to two Serie A title and last season’s Champions League final.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Edinson Cavani (PSG)

Cavani is ready to end his Paris Saint-Germain career and move on to pastures new, having grown unhappy at playing second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic – who himself is poised to leave the club this summer. Having played in both Serie A and Ligue 1, Cavani has admitted that he would like to play in the Premier League, and the Gunners have been linked with the Uruguay international in the past.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli)

Arsenal missed out on Higuain when he left Real Madrid in 2013, having had a bid accepted for the Argentine only to see Napoli storm in and snap up the striker. However, Higuain could be on his way out of Naples, with the club looking to freshen their squad up in a bid to go one better and build on this season’s likely second-place finish to challenge champions Juventus.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

Benzema may be another who finds his time is up at his current club, with Real expected to make a major signing of their own in the summer to try and add to the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. While his two cohorts take the headlines in Madrid, Benzema remains one of the most prolific finishers in European football, and the Gunners showed genuine interest in the France international last summer only to decide against meeting Real’s valuation.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)

Sturridge’s future has grown uncertain since Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool. The striker has reiterated his commitment to the club and helped them reach the Europa League final, but he has also shown a dissatisfaction at times when Klopp has left him out of the side. Arsenal were reported to be interested in the striker, but strained tensions between the two clubs following the Gunners’ interest in Luis Suarez could scupper any potential deal.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Neymar (Barcelona)

A move for the Brazilian superstar would certainly be one of the biggest shocks of the summer, but his future in Barcelona is uncertain and the Catalans could be forced into selling him due to their increasing financial troubles. United have again shown interest in Neymar, but there is no reason to suggest that Arsenal can’t challenge them financially for Neymar’s signature and he would certainly fit into Arsene Wenger’s style of football.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Radamel Falcao (Monaco)

The Colombian has failed at both Manchester United and Chelsea, and is due to return to Monaco at the end of the season after a torturous two-year spell in England. But could he remain upon these shores and join Arsenal? With Monaco keen to sell and Falcao scoring a total of six goals in two years, the former Atletico Madrid forward would be available for a much lower fee than was touted 12 months ago, and you can guarantee that one big club playing in European competition will decide to take the risk on Falcao.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)

The Gabon international is emerging as one of the most lethal finishers in Europe, having scored 25 goals in the Bundesliga this season and 30 in all competitions. Both Arsenal and Tottenham have been linked with Aubameyang, and the Gunners have sent scouts to watch the 26-year-old, with the club keeping an eye on him given Borussia Dortmund’s inability to hold on to their biggest players.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)

The Inter Milan forward has emerged as a possible alternative to Morata, and at 23 years old Icardi would certainly offer Arsenal an option for a number of years. Icardi has scored 16 goals in Serie A this season, firing Inter back into European contention, but his form has caught the eye of the likes of Chelsea and United. However, the Inter captain has stressed that he will remain with the Italian club for next season, yet Arsenal could yet persuade him to move to the Emirates with the carrot of Champions League football.

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Arsenal striker transfer targets

Romelu Lukaku (Everton)

Lukaku is expected to leave under-performing Everton in the summer after admitting he wants to play in the Champions League next season. United have always been the front-runners for Lukaku, although a return to former club Chelsea has also been reported, while PSG are keeping an eye on the strong Belgian. However, Lukaku would certainly boost the Arsenal squad, and at 22 years old he could be the striker that Arsenal can build their squad around in the future.

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Arsenal could also look to use the uncertainty over Vardy to their advantage by making another offer in the days before the match. Any such move would be frowned upon and likely to infuriate Leicester, though the Gunners have shown a mischievous side before when they bid £40m plus £1 to try and activate a release clause in Luis Suarez’s contract when he was at Liverpool in 2013.

Vardy can, however, put all the uncertainty to bed by making his decision to either join Arsenal or sign the new contract put on the table by Leicester upon his return to England either this month or next.

Summer 2016 Transfer Window - Done deals and rumours

Arsena's full fixture list

August

13: Liverpool (h)

20: Leicester City (a)

27: Watford (a)

September

10: Southampton (h)

17: Hull City (a)

24: Chelsea (h)

October

01: Burnley (a)

15: Swansea City (h)

22: Middlesbrough (h)

29: Sunderland (a)

November

05: Tottenham Hotspur (h)

19: Manchester United (a)

26: A.F.C. Bournemouth (h)

December

03: West Ham United (a)

10: Stoke City (h)

14: Everton (a)

17: Manchester City (a)

26: West Bromwich Albion (h)

31: Crystal Palace (h)

January

02: A.F.C. Bournemouth (a)

14: Swansea City (a)

21: Burnley (h)

31: Watford (h)

February

04: Chelsea (a)

11: Hull City (h)

25: Southampton (a)

March

04: Liverpool (a)

11: Leicester City (h)

18: West Bromwich Albion (a)

April

01: Manchester City (h)

04: West Ham United (h)

08: Crystal Palace (a)

15: Middlesbrough (a)

22: Sunderland (h)

29: Tottenham Hotspur (a)

May

06: Manchester United (h)

13: Stoke City (a)

21: Everton (h)

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